The Portland Timbers left Houston with two new injuries on Wednesday, with midfielders Sebastián Blanco’s and Marvin Loría’s playing time cut short during the team’s draw at Houston Dynamo FC.
In Giovanni Savarese’s postgame press conference, the Timbers head coach described both substitutions as precautionary. Loría had been part of an early-match collision with Houston defender Adam Lundqvist, while Blanco’s injury was described in terms of a leg “muscle.”
The Timbers came back from a 2-0 deficit on Wendesday to draw with the Dynamo, 2-2. Dairon Asprilla’s early first-half goal cut Houston’s halftime lead by one before a 91st-minute equalizer from Jeremy Ebobisse earned a point for Portland.
Prior to Ebobisse’s goal, the Timbers had to take two key components off the field.
Marvin Loría left the game at halftime after feeling additional effects from his collision with Lundqvist.
“Marvin, we have to see,” Savarese said, when asked about his midfielder’s status. “[He] was a little bit dizzy at halftime, so we decided to pull him off. We didn't want to risk anything.”
Loría has two goals in nine games (seven starts) in MLS this season. He is also fifth on the team in minutes played.
Diego Valeri entered the game at halftime for Loría, coming into the game as part of Major League Soccer’s concussion substitute pilot program. The move did not count against the five-substitute maximum the Timbers were allotted but also afforded the Dynamo an additional sub.
Like Valeri, Blanco was a second-half change, though he did not come on until the 71st minute. Despite that late arrival, Blanco was subbed off for Blake Bodily in the 88th.
“[Blanco] felt a little bit of something in the muscle, and as soon as he felt something, it was better to take him out to make sure that he is OK,” according to Savarese. “That's why it was more prevention oriented than anything else, and that's why we decided to take him out.”
- NIGHT'S SIGHTS: The best pictures from Timbers' draw in Houston
Blanco had been part of the Timbers’ injury report with a thigh injury over the preceding months. He played 11 minutes in his season debut on Saturday, against Sporting Kansas City at Providence Park, after being sidelined since Sept. 6, 2020 while recovering from anterior cruciate ligament surgery.
The Timbers had six players listed on their injury report prior to Wednesday’s game, with five players classified as out. Cristhian Paredes (left thigh strain), Jaroslaw Niezgoda (left ACL surgery), Ismaila Jome (left Achilles tendon surgery), Andy Polo (season ending right quad and knee surgery) and Jeff Attinella (season ending right rectus femoris surgery) were not available in Houston, while Asprilla, listed as questionable (lower left leg sprain), started against the Dynamo.
Portland’s next game is on Saturday at Providence Park against Minnesota United FC, part of a four-games-in-13-days stretch that concludes July 1 at Austin FC. The Timbers will then get a 16-day break before FC Dallas’s visit to Portland.
Everything Portland-Houston on Timbers.com:
- HIGHLIGHTS | Portland turns tables on Dynamo
- MOMENT-BY-MOMENT | Recapping draw in Houston
- POSTGAME | Savarese on how Portland changed course
- WATCH | Ebobisse talks typing goal, Timbers energy
- MEDIA | Asprilla reflects on another standout night
- FARLEY | Timbers defy first impressions in Houston
- Night in Pictures | Best sites from Portland's night in H-Town
- Takeaways | Timbers earn points for second straight match
