Seven days before a new chapter of Portland Timbers history opens at Providence Park, the team’s recent, record signing is crafting a history of his own. Scoring his second and third goals in green and gold, Brian Fernandez made his first start for Portland an unforgettable one, vaulting the Timbers to a two-goal lead before halftime and providing the spark to the team’s 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Union.
“The guys were great,” head coach Giovanni Savarese said, his praise going beyond one target. “We had a rough start … [The Union] brought some difficult things, but we defended well, and we were clinical in our moments going forward.