PORTLAND, Ore. – Wednesday night at Providence Park produced two stories: one which felt important in the moment, leaving the other overshadowed; one which could be irrelevant beyond the preseason, while the other has a longer impact; one which may only be worth talking about now, while the other defines the team’s future – to the extent anything can in a preseason.
But that Major League Soccer preseason took a worrisome turn over the final hour of the Portland Timbers' Wednesday night 4-2 loss to Minnesota United FC. Yes, the Timbers heavily changed their lineup, leaving the 11 starters we’re expecting in the lineup come March 1’s opener unused.