Ebobisse, Mabiala combine for 'really important' equalizer in Houston

Richard Farley

Portland Timber Jeremy Ebobisse has developed into one of the more versatile forwards in Major League, with his scoring ability complemented by his defensive presence, holdup play, shot creation and positional versatility. Until Wednesday, though, the scoring part of the package had been quiet, with Ebobisse yet to record a goal in 2021.

That changed at an ideal time. With Portland trailing one minute into stoppage time on Wednesday at Houston Dynamo FC, Ebobisse elevated at the edge of the six-yard box for a Larrys Mabiala cross, redirecting the pass down, away and into the goal’s far corner for the night’s equalizing goal. Portland left Houston with a 1-1 draw.

“I think [the goal] was really important,” Ebobisse said after the game, when asked about his breakthrough. “Strikers are players that thrive on confidence and sometimes overthink situations when things aren’t going their way. There have been different opportunities, different degrees of difficulty throughout the beginning of the season, but to get this one at the moment that I got, it was something that’s going to help me a lot moving forward …”

Ebobisse scored 11 goals in 34 appearances (2307 minutes) in 2019 while splitting time between two positions, striker and wing. Before that season, the now-24-year-old had three goals in his Timbers careers. He followed that 2019 production with eight more goals in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, and over the last two regular seasons, Ebobisse has averaged 0.51 goals per 90 minutes during the regular season.

This year, Ebobisse was hampered by a spring leg injury, and despite starting five games before Houston, he’d yet to get on the scoresheet. His game-tying effort against the Dynamo came after 493 minutes played, this season.

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“[H]opefully [the goal will] get me back into a good rhythm,” he said, “and I can continue to help the team from wherever I am, so we can move on in a fashion that we get more points.”

In terms of shot quality, there’s no reason to think anything has changed with Ebobisse. During his 2019 season, Ebobisse was taking shots that produced a 0.41 expected goals per 90 minutes, based on their location and the type of shot being taken. In 2020, that measure dropped slightly (possibly insignificantly) to 0.34. In 2018, his expected goals per 90 minutes was 0.38.

All of which is to say Ebobisse has a history of generating a consistent level of scoring outcomes. So far in 2021, his expected goals per 90 minutes is 0.41, in line with both his 11-goal season of 2019 and, more broadly, what we’ve seen from Ebobisse since he began getting regular first-team minutes in 2018.

Ebobisse, Mabiala combine for 'really important' equalizer in Houston -

In that context, Ebobisse scoring on Wednesday is less remarkable than how the goal was delivered. Mabiala, normally a central defender in a Portland back four, was playing right-center back late in Wednesday’s game, and with the Timbers leaving their wingbacks high while chasing a tying goal, Mabiala was the widest defender on his flank over the match’s closing minutes.

When a ball found him as regulation time ended, Mabiala had to do his best impression of right back Josecarlos Van Rankin. Moving down the sideline, Mabiala got his foot around an out-swinging cross – the type of ball which, moving away from goal, provides a difficult test of a goalkeeping judgement.

Houston’s Marko Maric chose to stay on his line, Ebobisse beat his rivals at the edge of the six, and thanks to Mabiala’s perfect service, Portland had a draw in Houston.

“The quality of the cross the Mabiala put in, it was of top level,” Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese said. “The way he went forward, got into the space, one-two control, and from a different angle put that ball in, and then a great header. Always, great crosses that result in goals always need a very good header. Jebo scored a wonderful goal at a very important moment for him and for us.”

Wednesday’s draw was the first of the season for Portland. Through nine games, the Timbers have 13 points, and they are tied for fifth in MLS’s Western Conference.