The Portland Timbers weren’t that much different in 2025 than they were in 2024.

Last year, the Timbers won 12 regular-season games and were eliminated in a decisive 5-0 loss to Vancouver in the Wild Card Round. This year, the Timbers won 11 regular-season games — won in the Wild Card — and were eliminated in a decisive 4-0 loss to San Diego in Match 3 of Round 1.

The Timbers made it further this year. They weren’t as fun to watch — especially during a second half that saw a team contending for a top-four spot turn into an eighth seed, with only three points separating it from the conference’s 11th place.

At the end of both years, it was clear the club was still a distance away from its once-championship form.

There is one difference between how the seasons ended, though: a desig

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