Neville: “I think on Saturday, we’re going to need commitment from every single player, every single staff member and every single supporter"
PORTLAND, Ore. – As the Portland Timbers got back to training this week ahead of a pivotal Game 2 set for Saturday at Providence Park in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 Series (6:30pm PT, TICKETS, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), head coach Phil Neville spoke about the positives and needed adjustments from Game 1.
“I think the belief in the team is no different than it was before [last] weekend,” he said following training on Tuesday. “I think we take a lot of positives from the [last] game and a lot of learnings from the game as well. We scored three goals against RSL to get through and I think we’re going to need to score probably two or three goals to get through [San Diego] in this game.
“We want to take it to a third match.”
One of the key players to help on the goal front tallied his first for the Timbers in the Game 1 loss against San Diego. Forward Kristoffer Velde halved the deficit in the 36th minute with a goal following some great play by Diego Chara and Antony.
Signed as a Designated Player in this past summer transfer window from Greek UEFA Champions League giants Olympiacos F.C., Velde has been a live wire on the wing upon arrival, frequently pushing into the attacking third with creative and incisive runs.
“He looks like a real threat on the counterattack,” said Neville after Game 1. “He looks a real threat when he's got possession of the ball and he's leading in that dressing room.”
A fiery presence on the field, Velde played the full 90 minutes Sunday and kept driving the team to find an equalizer, even after Portland found themselves down to 10 men.
It’s that kind of energy that Neville wants to see in his team.
“For Kristoffer tonight, that's a normal type of game,” he said postgame. “[When] you play for Olympiacos, [when] you play Champions League football, that's a normal type of game. That's not something that's out of the ordinary.
“For Kristoffer, that’s his level, that's the level he wants to play at. I think he's producing moments. He's producing big moments for us.”
Velde spoke Tuesday after training about the importance of finally finding the back of the net.
“I think I had maybe 50 opportunities in my first nine games to score a goal,” he said. “Either it’s been a good save or I’ve been inches away from scoring so, of course, it’s a relief.
“Hopefully, there’s more to come and I can continue that.”
Knowing that Saturday’s game is a win-or-go-home scenario, both Velde and Neville are keen to have the home field energy from the Providence Park faithful to help power their play as the team looks to continue and raise their intensity.
“It is the last home game, so I hope everybody that has the ability to show up, shows up,” said Velde. “We need everybody.”
Neville concurred.
“I think on Saturday, we’re going to need commitment from every single player, every single staff member and every single supporter,” he said.
“One thing I would say is that our supporters never let us down. One thing that gives me goosebumps about this football club and makes me proud to work for this football club is that on Saturday, I think [the supporters] are going to raise the roof and we need to raise the levels with them as well.”
