BOSTON – Portland Timbers eMLS competitor Edgar “x_thiago_silva_o” Guerrero punched his ticket into the weekend eMLS Cup presented by PlayStation playoffs today after finishing in seventh place in the Western Conference. The day was highlighted by back-to-back wins against Vancouver Whitecaps FC which not only helped clinch Guerrero a spot in the playoffs but also meant he went a perfect 4-0-0 against his Cascadia rivals following his double wins Thursday against Seattle Sounders FC.
- STANDINGS: 2018 eMLS Cup
“It’s been great,” Guerrero said of the tournament so far. “I’ve gotten more comfortable as the days have gone by and the more games that I’ve played so it’s been fun.”
His second day began with a 2-2 draw against the Colorado Rapids and Connor “BuckArmy” Buckley that featured a second half red card for the Rapids on Marcelo that led to a penalty conversion for Portland with Cristiano Ronaldo. Guerrero hit the post in the 89th minute looking for the winner. In the second match against Buckley, Guerrero cruised to a 5-2 win.
Facing the LA Galaxy’s Giuseppe “xGGGodfatherx” Guastella next, Guerrero and the Timbers lost 6-4 in the first game that saw four goals scored between the 32nd and 42nd minutes. In the follow up match, the Timbers had a sure goal saved off the line just before the half to keep the score even at 0-0. Though LA took the lead in the second half, Guerrero and Portland scored in second half stoppage time to steal a point and end the match at 2-2.
Qualified! 🎮⚽
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) April 6, 2018
See how @Thiago_SilvaPSN got into the #eMLSCup playoffs at @Official_PAX: https://t.co/sBqZ3GfuLu#RCTIDpic.twitter.com/TTgHQoKmCe
Houston Dynamo’s Memo “KidM3mito” Treviño, coming into the match undefeated, was pushed to the edge by Guerrero. The Timbers lost 5-4 in the first match with the last chance of the game from Guerrero’s Ronaldo narrowly missing. Losing 6-4 in the second match, Portland again played well building a 3-2 lead in the first half only to have Houston ice it in second half stoppage time.
Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Erfan “Skill Shack” Hosseini, at 17, the youngest competitor at eMLS Cup, was beat twice by Portlan. Guerrero scored in the 88th minute to down him 2-1 in the first leg and then in the second, he find an 88th minute equalizer and a second half stoppage time winner from second half sub Kylian Mbappé to win it at 5-4.
Guerrero closed out the day with difficult 5-1 and 7-1 losses to Sporting Kansas City’s Alex “Alekzandur” Betancourt.
Guerrero will have a chance for a rematch against Betancourt as he'll take on the second seeded Sporting KC player at 11:30am PT Saturday on the PAX Arena mainstage and streaming on Twitch. It’s a match up that Guerrero is ready for and excited to be taking on in the bigger arena.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he said. “I think there’s going to be a little bit more pressure. There will be more people watching that specific game that you’re playing so it’ll be a new experience for me.”
The eMLS Cup Playoffs will begin streaming beginning at 10am PT with Guerrero's match kicking at approximately 11:30am PT on at twitch.tv/TimbersFC, twitch.tv/PAXarena, and at Timbers.com.
