Portland’s turnaround under Jack Cassidy and incoming head coach Marti Cifuentes suggests the Timbers’ problems weren’t the players on the field.
The problem in Portland was extracted on May 25. That problem, as I’ve said for quite some time, was head coach Phil Neville. Having posted a record of 34 wins, 24 draws, and 37 losses, the Timbers had finally seen enough. Knowing the season would lack any meaning by the start of September without a late-season push for the playoffs, general manager Ned Grabavoy and company decided to act.
The timing was perfect. The Timbers had just begun the 2026 FIFA World Cup break. The six-week interlude gave the club enough time to reset for the second half of the campaign and figure out why such a talented squad was underperforming so magnificently.
The Portland Timbers posted a miserable four wins, two draws, and eight losses under Neville in 2026 MLS play. You never knew which team was going to show up each week. Would it be the side that scored three goals in a thrilling home win over the Columbus Crew, or the one that conceded four to the Vancouver Whitecaps in a gutless loss? More often than not, it was the latter.
Twenty-eight goals were conceded by the Timbers under Neville, with the head coach often blaming the lack of fitness of key players for the team’s downfall. But was it the players’ fault for their underperformance?
A new voice, a new approach
It has been remarkable to see the bounce in both individual performances and tactical approach since Neville’s departure. Since returning from the World Cup break on July 16 against bitter rivals the Seattle Sounders, Portland has reeled off four matches without defeat.
That unbeaten run includes two victories over Seattle by scores of 5-1 and 2-1, respectively. There was also a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake and a 2-2 draw with FC Dallas. All four results came against difficult Western Conference opponents. They have also gone a long way toward dragging the Timbers back into the playoff race, where they now sit eighth in the Western Conference with 24 points from 18 games.
Neville collected just 14 points in 14 games, failing to win any of his final three matches in charge. In four games since his departure, Portland has already picked up almost as many points.
The man behind the resurgence is former Leicester City manager Marti Cifuentes. Appointed on July 21, the Spanish coach has been in charge for three games and has effectively released the handbrake. The Timbers have attacked opponents with freedom, allowing Kevin Kelsy, Alex Aravena, and Cole Bassett to flourish. All three have found the scoresheet during the last four matches, with Kelsy scoring four goals.
Giving all the credit to Cifuentes would be unfair.
Jack Cassidy oversaw the 5-1 dismantling of Seattle as interim head coach and remains in charge until Cifuentes receives his P-1 visa. However, it would be equally foolish to believe Cifuentes has not had direct input into training, tactical preparation, and likely even in-game decisions. Cassidy has effectively become the conduit through which Cifuentes is working.
Perhaps the biggest question is whether Portland can maintain this momentum once Cifuentes is physically on the ground in Portland rather than directing matters from afar.
A commitment to attacking soccer
Saturday’s comeback 2-1 victory over Seattle saw the Timbers beat one of MLS’s perennial contenders for the second time in just 17 days.
Despite conceding in the 27th minute to a low-value strike from outside the penalty area, Portland responded through Kelsy before halftime. It was the striker’s team-leading ninth goal of the season. Right-back Brandon Bye, who was at fault for several goals during Neville’s tenure, popped up with the winner eight minutes from time.
What stood out most was Portland’s commitment to attack. At times, four and even five Timbers players occupied the penalty area waiting to attack crosses from wide positions. The center-backs pushed up high, with the Timbers camping out in the Seattle half. This wasn’t the defending and counter-attack football Neville tried and failed to instill. There was build-up play, with players looking to break down Seattle’s medium block.
It was not all about attacking, however. Seattle’s opening goal rocked Portland. Goalkeeper James Pantemis was forced into several important saves, while the defense had to withstand sustained pressure.
Unlike earlier this season, though, the Timbers did not crack, crumble, or capitulate. Instead, they defended with belief. They weathered the pressure before Kristoffer Velde supplied the cross for Kelsy to convert. According to MLS, Velde now has five assists, while FotMob credits him with four. Regardless of which figure is correct, the important point is that Cassidy and Cifuentes have the Norwegian playing like the difference-maker Portland expected when he was signed last summer.
The designated players are finally producing.
Bye’s low-driven winner was an excellent example of a true team goal, built through multiple passes before David Da Costa provided the assist.
Da Costa leads the Timbers with seven assists according to MLS, although FotMob credits him with six. MLS is always generous with its assist stats. Da Costa and Velde are Portland’s designated players, and expectations have always been high. Only now are they being given the freedom to play attacking soccer.
Da Costa has recorded three assists over his last four matches. Velde has matched that total. Chances are being created consistently now, something that was sorely lacking during the opening months of the campaign when Neville wanted the team to soak up pressure and counter-attack everyone. While it worked on occasions, if there was no counter-attack to be had, Portland looked lost.
Earlier this season, if Portland trailed late, defeat felt inevitable. Even when the Timbers were leading, supporters never truly felt comfortable. These last four matches have instead showcased a squad full of attacking talent.
No, Portland may not reach the MLS Cup Final this season, but this team is certainly good enough to qualify comfortably for the playoffs.
The challenge ahead
Portland will not return to MLS action until August 16. Before then, the Timbers face Puebla, Club América, and Tijuana in the Leagues Cup.
For a team building momentum, the fixture congestion is hardly ideal. Portland will play three matches in just eight days between August 7 and August 13.
The good news is all three games are at Providence Park. Cassidy and Cifuentes would be wise to rotate key players where possible to avoid fatigue and injuries. Coming straight off the World Cup break, the squad should still be relatively fresh, but giving younger players meaningful minutes could prove beneficial.
When MLS play resumes, Portland travels to face the Chicago Fire, currently fourth in the Eastern Conference. It is one of only three remaining matches against Eastern Conference opposition, with Atlanta United and Charlotte FC the others.
The playoffs are there for the taking
Portland still has 13 matches remaining against Western Conference rivals, nearly all of whom are battling for playoff spots. Thirty-nine points remain available against conference opposition.
Only five points separate the Timbers from fourth-place Houston Dynamo. If Portland can maintain its impressive home form of five wins, two draws, and two losses while improving on a road record of just two wins, one draw, and six defeats, there should be little doubt about the club reaching the postseason. A fourth-place finish in the conference is still realistic.
It is also worth remembering that three of Portland’s last four matches have been played at Providence Park. Home has certainly provided comfortable surroundings, with the supporters being the proverbial 12th man.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of positives to take from the Timbers’ recent resurgence under interim head coach Jack Cassidy and incoming manager Marti Cifuentes. The attack is clicking, the defense has become far more resilient, and, perhaps most importantly, the soccer is a hell of a lot more enjoyable to watch.
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