Previewing Houston Dynamo at Portland Timbers with Stumptown Footy
(image via Craig Mitchelldyer/Portland Timbers)
The Houston Dynamo head back on the road for a match up with the Portland Timbers on Sunday Night Soccer. We talked to our friend Sam Svilar from Stumptown Footy to get some insight on the Timbers ahead of Sunday’s match.
Bayou City Soccer (BCS): Portland is coming off a big 3-0 win on the road against the Rapids. What clicked for them in that match?
Stumptown Footy (SF): First off, playing in a more familiar formation helped a ton. Due to injuries, Portland had been playing in a 3-4-3 formation to start the year, and it led to a ton of balance and organization issues. But they've started in a 4-2-3-1 their past two games, and they've looked a lot more organized pretty much everywhere. It's allowed players like David Da Costa to shift more centrally - his more preferred position - and that in turn has allowed him to influence games more with his passing and dribbling. Another big reason is the return of Santiago Moreno. He's the secondary playmaker for the team, and his added threat on the wing made Portland's attack perpetually dangerous.
BCS: We're seeing David Ayala develop into a very good player for the Timbers.How has Diego Chara helped him grow and how is their partnership this season in midfield?
SF: His relationship with Chara is something that Ayala talks about a lot. He consistently praises Chara for being a good mentor on how to position himself in the midfield and how to put himself in the best position to win the ball. Chara is also a great example of how to stay healthy and resilient - something that Ayala has just started to do (2024 was his healthiest year as a Timber, and it showed). Ayala has somewhat quietly turned into one of the most consistent midfielders for Portland, and his partnership with Chara has allowed him to be a more advanced destroyer and creator, helping on both sides of the ball.
BCS: James Pantemis has taken over as the club's starting goalkeeper after Max Crepeau started the first game. What led to that change and is Pantemis the guy going forward?
SF: I mean, there is a very large set of the fanbase that thinks he should be the guy moving forward. The switch was initially spurred by injury, and then perpetuated by international duty. Despite those reasons, it's easy to see why the coaching staff trusts Pantemis. His shot stopping is very good, and the backline seems just a bit more calm and organized with him between the sticks. Phil Neville hasn't committed to Pantemis as the new first choice guy, much to the chagrin of us media folks who want there to be a clear hierarchy, but it's clear that at the moment Pantemis has a ton of trust and faith from the coaching staff.
BCS: Portland now has two dynamic young attackers in David Da Costa and Antony. How have they looked so far this season and what do Timbers fans expect out of them in 2025 and beyond?
SF: David Da Costa has the potential to become the catalyst for all of Portland's success this season. He already has a goal and two assists in a Timbers shirt through four-and-a-half games, and he has improved pretty much game by game. I expect that to continue as he grows more familiar with MLS and with his teammates. He is ambitious with his passing and more than willing to dribble, so his talent is evident. The next step is building chemistry with his teammates, so that he knows where to find attackers and vice-versa. If he does, Da Costa could wind up pushing towards the heights that the likes of Evander or Sebastian Blanco or Diego Valeri have hit in years past.
Antony, as has been his penchant, is off to a hot start. He consistently finds himself in good-to-great positions with the ball, and the only knock on his game is the final product. We saw the best and the worst of his game last week: he found great spots and scored a goal (and probably should have had two more), and he also delivered several poor final balls from the wings. He has yet to become a complete winger, but he has all of the tools to get there. If he does, not only will he become a key part of Portland's attack but could also become the next big transfer for the Timbers within the next year.
BCS: The Timbers have a couple veterans in defense and a couple of very young players. What can you tell us about these guys and how has the back line looked this season?
SF: One of the more pleasant surprises of the young season has been how decent the Timbers defense looks. It's not great mind you, and it's biggest weakness is poor decision making compounding individual errors leading to defensive breakdowns. But overall, it has looked fairly okay. A big reason for that is the rise of 21-year-old Finn Surman. He's started less than ten MLS games in his career, but you wouldn't guess it. His positioning was excellent last weekend, and he is getting steadier by the game. Complimented by the veteran presences of Kamal Miller and Dario Zuparic, there's a formula there for an improved Timbers defense in 2025.
Going the other way, perhaps the biggest good surprise of 2025 has been Jimer Fory. Another young player (22) who looks older than he is, the left back has looked very solid on both sides of the ball. He tallied his first assist of the year last weekend, and I don't think it will be his last.
BCS: Are there any injuries or suspensions we should know about and what is your prediction for the Timbers lineup?
SF: The biggest name on the injury list is Johnathan Rodriguez, and he will still be out for probably another 2-3 weeks. But outside of that, the Timbers are actually the healthiest they have been this season. Moreno is back to 100%, Zuparic is available, and dangerous attacking fullback Juan Mosqeura made his season debut as a sub last week. I'm not sure if he's ready to start, but he's definitely ready for at least a half.
My starting XI (4-2-3-1): Pantemis; E. Miller, K. Miller, Surman, Fory; Ayala, Chara; Moreno, Da Costa, Antony; Mora.
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We want to thank Sam for his time and wish our friends in Portland the best of luck Sunday. Be sure to check out our answers to Sam’s questions about the Dynamo at Stumptown Footy.
