The game in 200 words (or less): By no means did the Portland Timbers put on a show - at least not the type of show that would keep one intrigued - on Sunday against Nashville SC. But they got the job done, squeezing out a 1-0 victory against one of MLS’ two newcomers. For the majority of the game, the Timbers, for a lack of better words, parked the bus on Nashville, clogging their third of the field with Timber-white shirts. It worked: despite generating a total of 14 shots, Nashville were unable to crack the code. How did the Timbers manage to win if all they did was park the bus? Well, they didn’t just bunker; they galvanized forward periodically. And out of all the three shots that Giovanni Savarese’s men generated throughout the night, one fell in the 12th minute. Diego Valeri’s screamer was, at the end of the day, all Portland needed to edge Nashville, who still don’t know what it’s like to celebrate an MLS win.
Three moments that mattered
12′ – It’s early, but Valeri is on pace for 34 goals this season— This right-footed volley has to be in Valeri’s top 20:
Okay, @DiegoDv8. Okay. 👀 #PORvNSH pic.twitter.com/A7QmItn3Mf
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 8, 2020
Polo comes close — Intentional or not, Polo service (or shot) came pretty close.
¡El peruano Andy Polo intenta conseguir el segundo para @SomosTimbers!😯#PORvNSH | 1-0 pic.twitter.com/9NkU5nWDwP
— MLS Español (@MLSes) March 9, 2020
69' - Godoy... — Anibal Godoy was Steve Clark’s fingertips away from making Nashville SC history.
Pushing for an equalizer 👀 pic.twitter.com/2p7TYbQKu2
— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) March 9, 2020
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Man of the match: Steve Clark
Goalscorers: Valeri(12′)
