PORTLAND — What slow start? The Portland Timbers have recovered and then some.
A 15-match unbeaten streak has moved the Timbers into second place in the Western Conference behind FC Dallas. The streak started with a 3-2 victory at home over Minnesota on April 8.
The latest win was a 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union last weekend that gave the Timbers their longest MLS undefeated streak since they also went 15 games without a loss in 2013. Portland is the only team with two streaks that long. The longest unbeaten streak is 19 games, set in 2010 by Dallas.
Portland’s streak is also the longest in the league this season.
“Everyone is buying into what we’re preaching,” goalkeeper Jeff Attinella said. “Everyone is fighting each game and we’re taking each game just as seriously as the last one. We’re just going to try and keep it rolling.”
It has been a dramatic shift from the start of the season when the Timbers started with five games on the road — because of construction at Providence Park — and were unable to come home with a win.
And home has been key to Portland’s success. The Timbers (10-3-7) have yet to drop a game at home this season. In fact, the team has not lost at home in 16 regular-season matches dating back to last season.
“We are doing well,” said Diego Valeri, the league’s reigning MVP who leads Portland with eight goals this season. “I am very happy about the run we’re having.”
Portland, which has 14 games left, is heading into a Cascadia Cup rivalry match at home this Saturday against the Whitecaps, who sit in seventh place in the West. But first Vancouver faces Toronto FC in the first leg of the Canadian Championship on Wednesday night.
The Cascadia Cup is the three-way rivalry between the Timbers, Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders that was started by rivalry groups before the teams joined MLS. Portland and Seattle sit atop the table with three points apiece, while Vancouver has none.
The Whitecaps were coming off a 2-2 draw on the road to NYCFC, stretching their undefeated streak to three games.
“We have confidence in the team, so we’ve just got to keep pushing forward,” Whitecaps forward Erik Hurtado said.
Sounders acquire defender Brad Smith — The Seattle Sounders have bolstered their defense heading into the final months of the MLS season by acquiring defender Brad Smith on loan from Premier League club Bournemouth.
Seattle used targeted allocation money to land the 24-year-old Australian in the deal announced Wednesday.
Smith spent the past two seasons at Bournemouth after starting his career in the youth system at Liverpool. He debuted for Liverpool during the 2013-14 season and, after being loaned to Swindon Town for a season, returned to Liverpool and made 10 appearances during the 2015-16 season before moving on to Bournemouth.
