Minnesota United's MLS debut wasn't very memorable, but Portland's revamped attack looked sharp in its 2017 debut.
If Minnesota United fans were wondering just how far their MLS expansion team has to go to close the gap on established teams in the league, they were given a very vivid picture painted by the Portland Timbers on Friday night.
The Timbers showed off their attacking quality, and delivered a harsh baptism to Major League Soccer's newest team in Friday's 5-1 victory. The Loons kept things close through two-thirds of the match, even making a game of it when Christian Ramirez came off the bench to make the score 2-1, but Portland responded in brutal fashion.