Sunday night’s dramatic 2-1 win over LIGA MX’s Club León in their Leagues Cup 2024 debut could push the Portland Timbers to a memorable run at the tournament.
That was the post-game message from head coach Phil Neville following his side’s last-gasp comeback victory at Providence Park that came courtesy of a Zac McGraw brace, including a 90th-minute winner from the Canadian defender.
“In this moment we have the momentum to win every game,” the former Manchester United and English international fullback told reporters. “Momentum is very important in football. With this momentum, with the fans here, we have a good situation, a good feeling.”
McGraw-led comeback
However, the Timbers had to work for that momentum against the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup winners. Alan Medina made sure of that with a 12th-minute strike from distance that sailed past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.
Portland found a reaction shortly before halftime, with McGraw taking flight to nod Evander’s corner kick into the back of the net and level the score. That same formula repeated itself in the game’s dying moments, as McGraw took advantage of another Evander set-piece service and headed in the 2-1 game-winner.
“What you saw tonight, you saw a center back who wanted it more than their players,” Neville said of McGraw’s brace. “I thought it was really good to win a game like that. To score again late on, I think, shows that it’s not an accident, it’s not something that’s lucky, it’s something that’s part of our identity, that we don’t give up. We go into that end there and they stuck the ball into the net, and we look a real threat.
“Never once did I think that it was going to go to penalties. Never once. I thought we were gonna win the game and we committed to it and we got our just rewards.”
Colorado up next
Currently atop Group West 5, Portland host Western Conference rival Colorado Rapids on Thursday night (10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass) looking to book a spot in the Round of 32. For Neville, the chance to face more LIGA MX opposition in the knockout stages would be the perfect scenario given the “special” atmosphere he witnessed against León.
“These games are playoff games. They are games against a level of teams that probably are the same if not better than some of the best teams in MLS,” Neville said. “The quality, the movements. Tactically it’s different, the styles are different, the referees are different.
“Everything is different about it, and you could smell it in the air tonight," Neville said. "There was a special feel.”
