Early red card sinks Timbers in soggy season-opening loss to Whitecaps

Rain was falling. It poured. It was just a matter of time until the Vancouver Whitecaps scored after the Portland Timbers were down to 10 men due to a red card in the eleventh minute.

On Sunday afternoon, the Whitecaps (1-0-0, 3 points) defeated Portland 4-1 at Providence Park. On the one hand, this defeat was two goals better than the Timbers’ (0-1-0, 0 points) 5-0 loss to the Whitecaps last October. However, the Timbers’ season opener did little to ease the anxieties of a fan base that has now watched its home club outscored 9-1 in its last two games. The team is trying to move past the controversy from the end of the previous season and an offseason that included the departure of MVP contender Evander.

The Whitecaps got to work after Kamal Miller was sent off with a dubious red card just outside the area in the eleventh minute.

First, in the 24th minute, Ryan Gauld scored a goal following a careless ball from goalkeeper Maxine Crepeau. Second, Pedro Vite scored in the 32nd minute by hammering a shot past the Portland goalie. Third, in the 53rd minute, Sam Adekugbe one-timed a pass from Jayden Nelson. Nelson’s left-footed goal past Crepeau in the 61st minute completed Vancouver’s scoring.

In the 73rd minute, Antony scored Portland’s only goal.

The only sustained effort from the Portland team came early in the second half, when new DP signing David da Costa joined the game and instantly set up Portland’s first goal. Overall, Vancouver outshot Portland 23-6.

Along with defenders Juan Mosquera and Dario Zuparic, the Timbers were missing strikers Jonathan Rodriguez and Santiago Moreno for Sunday’s game.

Diego Chara, who is in his 15th season with the team, made history on Sunday by becoming the first player in MLS history to reach 400 appearances during the regular season with a single team. Chara began the game and continued to play.

Next up: On Saturday at Providence Park, the Timbers take on Austin FC at 7:30 p.m.

Alger, Tyson