Match notes: Timbers get big performances in a big win

PORTLAND — While the Timbers defense still has some sorting out to do to get near last season’s effectiveness, Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps was heartening on the attacking side.

The good news included first goals of the season for Darlington Nagbe and for Dairon Asprilla. Meanwhile, Jack McInerney continued to demonstrate his goal-scoring prowess. On his fourth goal of the season, McInerney beat defender Kendall Waston to a cross then calmly slotted home his shot around the wrong-footed defender.

Acquired to replace Maxi Urruti in Caleb Porter’s rotation, McInerney has matched Urruti’s regular-season total from last season and is on pace to match the 10 goals Urriti scored in 2014. The 23-year-old is already in his seventh MLS season and has 42 career goals.

With Fanendo Adi injured, McInerney’s mobility proved troublesome for Whitecaps center backs Pa Modou Kah and Kendall Waston. McInerney drew the first PK when Kah fouled him clumsily three minutes into the match. He scored the second goal by calmly seizing the moment when Waston had trouble keeping his feet trying to react to a cross from Lucas Melano.

Injuries by the numbers: With Adi joining Adam Kwarasey, Alvas Powell and Darren Mattocks on the injured list Sunday, the Timbers have lost 37 man games to  injury among players in the starting rotation through 13 games this season.

Asprilla returns, contributes: Dairon Asprilla’s absence from the 18 during the Timbers three-game skid was not the result of injury. Caleb Porter, without going into detail, said Asprilla had done something contrary to the boss’ expectations.

Said Porter: “I do give players second chances, but I do have to manage this club in a way where I don’t sacrifice my principles and the culture of the club. But to Asprilla’s credit he stepped up today when he went in. Now he will continue to get more and more time and he’ll no longer be in the doghouse.”

Diego Valeri showed support for Asprilla by having him take the game’s second penalty kick. Explained Valeri: “He asked me for that PK. It was important for him to score. I think he was very confident. That’s important. When you have a player who wants to take the ball and kick, I think there’s a good (chance) that he will score.”

Asprilla was a 62^nd-minute replacement on the right wing for Lucas Melano – inserted in part to track back defensively on that wing as Vancouver fullback Jordan Harvey pushed forward with the Whitecaps seeking the tying goal.

Magic from Nagbe: Darlington Nagbe’s first goal of the season was a thing of beauty, a free kick that curled just out of the reach of goalkeeper David Ousted. It came on Nagbe’s eighth shot of the match, which ties Diego Valeri for the most shots attempted by a single Timbers player in a MLS match. It was the Timbers third goal from a direct free kick this season, which leads MLS and is already a club record for a MLS regular season.

National team duty: Nagbe (USA) and Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica) will be joining their national teams for the Copa America Centenario tournament, which takes place June 3-26 as national teams from across the Western Hemisphere compete in what is considered the biggest soccer tournament in the United States since the 1994 World Cup.

Melano’s scoring touch still missing: Sunday demonstrated both the promise and the frustration with Lucas Melano. From one perspective, his two goals in 32 appearances in the regular season and playoffs for the Timbers are certainly not enough for someone getting Designated Player money. But his speed is a weapon that defenses must think about and during the Timbers strong start against Vancouver, Melano’s aggressiveness was one reason the Whitecaps backline was getting pulled out of position.

Defending still perplexing: The Timbers led MLS with 13 shutouts last season. Thirteen games into this season, the only zero for the Timbers D is in the shutout column. Certainly the revolving lineups are a big reason for that. Still, it needs to change if the team is going to climb into the playoffs.

“Trust me, as a centerback and a defender you’re hungry for that clean sheet,” Nat Borchers said, noting that a shutout assures the team of at least a tie in any game.

Debut for Brett: Winger Neco Brett replaced McInerney in stoppage time, the first MLS appearance for the rookie from Robert Morris. Brett, along with Ben Polk, was an unused substitute on the bench for last week’s loss to New York City FC. Said Porter: “They’ve both been playing well (with T2) … Their attitude, their play has been very positive. That’s important. The guys who are going to push up through (T2), you have to play well, but you have to have the right attitude and these two kids do.”

Vancouver view: Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson had no problem with the early penalty-kick decision, and noted that giving an opponent an early 2-0 lead with mistakes is no path to winning on the road. He was, however, pleased with his team’s second half. As for Waston drawing a post-match red card for a two-legged challenge after the final whistle that leveled Dairon Asprilla, Robinson said his center back needs to show more composure.

“In games like this with 20,000 great fans putting you under pressure, putting everyone under pressure, big game, you need big personalities and you need big people to be involved in it and in that he needs to show more emotional control,” Robinson said.