The Portland Timbers would get their first look at new signee Jonathan Rodríguez, and he would show a lot of promise along with his first Timbers goal, but several defensive lapses would be the difference in a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union. Julián Carranza would score twice for the visitors, while Quinn Sullivan would also get a goal for the Union.
The Timbers offense would look very good early in the match, and they would produce the first good scoring chance in the 10th minute when Jonathan Rodríguez made a nice run down the right side, and crossed to an open Evander, who appeared to have an easy redirection into the Union net, but his shot would be just wide left. Six minutes later, Eryk Williamson found Evander in the Union box, but his shot was tipped just wide left by Philadelphia goalkeeper Oliver Semmle.
In the 22nd minute, a nice passing sequence from Santiago Moreno, to Evander, found Rodríguez open near the penalty spot, but his quick shot was off the left post, and the match remained scoreless.
In the 28th minute, Philadelphia would get their first good scoring chance of the match, and they would make it pay off, when Julián Carranza outmuscled the Timbers defense and got his head on a corner kick, and put his shot just inside the right post, and the visitors had a 1-0 lead.
In the 30th minute, Juan David Mosquera made a nice run to get a close-in shot that Semmle saved, and though the rebound seemed primed to be put in the Union net, no Timbers player could knock it home and it was cleared.
In the 35th minute, the Timbers set a tone for the evening when the Union had a one-on-one chance by Mikael Uhre after a Timbers defensive gaffe, but James Pantemis would come up with a brilliant save to keep the score at 1-0. Evander would have another good chance for the Timbers in first half stoppage time, but Semmle would make another good save. On the ensuing corner kick, the ball somehow slipped past Willamson and Dario Župarić at the far post, and the score remained 1-0 Union at the break.
In the 52nd minute, another Timbers defensive breakdown had Uhre in alone again, but once again Pantemis came up with a big save to keep the Timbers deficit at a single goal.
In the 58th minute, after a save by Pantemis on a long Union shot, the rebound came loose and Quinn Sullivan was able to get to the loose ball largely unmarked, and knocked it home to make the Union lead 2-0.
In the 60th minute, Mosquera played a nice chip into the box that Moreno made a bicycle-kick attempt on, but his shot would be well wide left.
In the 67th minute the Timbers defense had another breakdown, and it cost them again, when the Union took a quick kick after a foul near midfield, Uhre took the ball into the Timbers box, and crossed to a wide-open Carranza who easily redirected the pass into the Timbers net, and the lead was now 3-0 for the Union.
In the 80th minute, the Timbers were finally on the board when Moreno made another nice chip into the box, which this time was headed home nicely by Rodríguez, and the lead was now 3-1 for Philadelphia. The Timbers would have a few moderately good chances in second half stoppage time, but never seriously threatened to score, and would end up on the short end of the 3-1 result.
James Pantemis would record four saves for the home side, while Oliver Semmle would have six saves for the visitors.
