The Portland Timbers won their second game of the season in stunning fashion Sunday with a 3-0 thumping of New York City FC. Head coach Giovanni Savarese utilized a unique 4-4-1-1 formation for the match and the results spoke for themselves.
Savarese's plan had them concede possession and absorb pressure while being ruthless in their chances. Only once before in MLS Opta era had a team score three-plus goals, earn a shutout and have less than 30% possession (Aug. 7, 2016, Portland defeating KC 3-0). The match was Portland's first clean sheet of the season, while NYCFC was held scoreless for the first time in its last 14 regular-season matches.