Portland Timbers Miss MLS Playoffs for Second Consecutive Year
For the second year in a row, the Portland Timbers will not be participating in the MLS postseason. The team’s hopes were dashed after a 3-1 defeat to the Houston Dynamo on a rainy Saturday night at Providence Park. Alongside unfavorable results from other matches across the league, this loss marked the end of a puzzling and challenging 2023 season for the Timbers.
Throughout the season, the 11-13-10 Timbers identified several critical moments where they dropped crucial points. The defeat on Decision Day was just one example of their struggles. This disappointing finish now thrusts the team into an uncertain offseason with anticipated changes on the horizon.
Interim coach Miles Joseph’s late-season turnaround efforts were not enough to lift Portland out of the hole they found themselves in. Reflecting on the season, Joseph said, “Difficult year. We got to this point in front of our home fans, and I think everyone in the locker room saw it going a different way. Two months ago, six weeks ago, I don’t think anybody thought we’d be here. Missing the playoffs by one point, that’s reality setting in. But I’m just so proud of the group and what they accomplished to get to this point. They put everything into it.”
Despite their strong start in the match, including early chances off set pieces, the Timbers couldn’t find the back of the net. Houston took the lead in the 11th minute with a glancing header by Griffin Dorsey. Portland’s goalkeeper David Bingham made a spill in the 26th minute, and although Corey Baird seemed to score, it was ruled offside.
The Timbers had opportunities through Santiago Moreno and Cristhian Paredes in the first half, but their shots were either saved or missed the target. Houston received three yellow cards before halftime, emphasizing the physicality of the match.
To make matters worse, Houston scored another goal in the 48th minute, increasing their lead to 2-0. Despite Portland’s strong attacking play, they lacked the necessary quality to score. Off-field issues and a late coaching change further compounded the challenges faced by the team throughout the season.
In the 66th minute, Timbers midfielder Diego Chará received a yellow card. Chará expressed disappointment, saying, “I’m very disappointed. We had the opportunity to be in the playoffs, and we didn’t maintain. Houston played better.”
Houston sealed their victory with a third goal in the 72nd minute, leaving Portland with a 3-0 deficit. Felipe Mora managed to score in the 80th minute, bringing the Timbers back to 3-1. There was a close chance for Sebastian Blanco in the 88th minute, potentially his last match as a Timber, but it wasn’t enough to turn things around.
The defeat marked an unfortunate end for the Timbers, despite briefly holding onto hopes of making the playoffs. Interim coach Miles Joseph, alongside assistant coaches Liam Ridgewell and Shannon Murray, led the team’s late-season surge. Joseph is now one of the candidates for the permanent head coach position, with a final decision expected in the following weeks. Regardless, he acknowledged the remarkable efforts of the players and staff, stating, “We gained a lot of points in the table in a short amount of time, and they (the players) gave everything they could possibly give. The staff, really proud of the staff trying to get them organized in a short amount of time to make the run that we did. It was exceptional by them.”