Gage Guerra will always remember his first touch with the Portland Timbers.
The No. 69 pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft came on for the first-team for the first time in his career with the Timbers in a desperate state. A leisurely stroll through the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 against MLS Pro Next side Tacoma had turned into a nightmare, with Portland’s 1-0 first-half lead evaporating into a 2-1 deficit by the game’s 50th minute.
The Timbers came to Starfire Sports Complex without the likes of Felipe Mora, David Da Costa, Santiago Moreno, Antony and Jonathan Rodriguez. They instead brought six members from their T2 side, including Guerra, who made his Timbers debut when manager Phil Neville called upon him in the 79th minute to offer Portland a spark.
While a loss to Tacoma wouldn’t count against Portland’s MLS record, a loss to the second team of the Seattle Sounders would be a tough one to forget. And because of Guerra’s heroics, the 22-year-old may be the only one who chooses to remember the night.
It was Guerra’s goal in the 80th minute that tied the match at 2-2 and Kevin Kelsy’s stoppage-time penalty that gave Portland the 3-2 win against the Defiance to advance to the Open Cup’s Round of 16.
Guerra, who scored nine goals in 14 games last season for the University of Louisville, signed with the Timbers on a short-term contract just before the match, allowing the Timbers to leave minutes-heavy starters home in Portland to rest before Saturday’s home MLS match against Sporting Kansas City. But any notion that Tuesday would be a walk in the park for the Timbers at Starfire was quickly muted by a Defiance team that came out hot from the whistle.
Until Zac McGraw scored on a header in the 33rd minute to give Portland a 1-0 lead, the Timbers were largely playing on their heels and looked disjointed against a Tacoma team that came into Tuesday having won four matches in a row.
McGraw’s header, which came off an Ariel Lassiter corner kick, seemed to instill a sense of relief for the Timbers going into the break. Unfortunately for Portland, the Timbers left all their momentum in the locker room as Tacoma opened up the final half with goals in the 48th and 50th minutes to take the lead.
And that’s when the Timbers began to press. While this was a squad that chose not to play many of its best players on Tuesday, it was still a Timbers starting 11 that featured all first-team players. But with time running short and embarrassment looming, Neville unloaded the bench.
In came Kyle Linhares, in came Sawyer Jura and in came Guerra, who barely had time to sink his cleats into the turf before fellow rookie Ian Smith crossed a service from the left side into the box, which a charging Guerra finished with a header.
The goal gave the Timbers’ momentum, so too did a pair of late saves by Portland keeper Maxime Crepeau. And while it seemed like Tacoma would be able to stretch the game into extra time, a pressing Timbers squad got the ball into the box late, where Kelsy was brought down for the penalty. His left-footed shot to the left post sent most fans heading toward the exits, while those remaining echoed in chants of “Ref you suck.”
Portland advances to the Round of 16 and will play the winner of Thursday’s Round of 32 match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Sacramento Republic FC.
Next up: The Timbers return home on Saturday to face Sporting Kansas City.
— Tyson Alger for The Oregonian/OregonLive