Antony wasn’t in much of a mood to celebrate.
Yes, Portland’s leading scorer was happy to finally find the back of the net — it had been since June 8 since the 24-year-old had scored. And in the three months since, quite a bit has changed for both the forward and his Portland Timbers.
The club has undergone a facelift, with new stars Kristoffer Velde and Matias Rojas making their home debuts during Saturday’s 2-1 win over New York . Meanwhile, Antony has endured one of the most challenging stretches of his career: after carrying the Timbers through the first half of the season, a hamstring injury sidelined him for more than a month.
When he scored in the 73rd minute to give Portland the lead, he looked more relieved than jubilant.
“I feel happy with the result and with my goal,” An