PORTLAND-- Portland Timbers head trainer Giovanni Savarese recognizes how the storybook finishing was expected to go. The Timbers were organizing MLS Mug 2021 at Divine Superintendence Park, their football basilica, as well as 25, 000-plus of the Rose City's soccer-mad fans gathered to witness background on a rain-filled, gusty Saturday mid-day that 'd cover the organization's 26th season. And fortunes were looking up when Felipe Mora adjusted in the 94th min, energizing the hosts after Taty Castellanos had opened the racking up for New York City FC just prior to halftime. Energy was surely on their side. However the Timbers couldn't capitalize with a winner in added time, prompting a fine kick shootout to establish who had actually raising flatware. Which's where things transformed pear-shaped for Portland, with goalkeeper Sean Johnson, the MLS Cup MVP presented by Audi, saving opening PKs by Mora and also Diego Valeri before the Timbers Military. That established the phase for Alexander Callens to net the winning spot-kick, just like he did to beat record-setting Fans' Shield victors New England Revolution in the Eastern Meeting Semifinals. And also easily, the 4-2 shootout went the visitors' means, the broken heart of a missed chance ending up being evident. "Football can be vicious due to the fact that just one can win. And also when it's in PKs, it's also worse, " Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese claimed postgame. "So I need to make sure that we don't neglect one of the most integral part, is that this video game today showed why it remains in the last, why we dealt with with a challenging season. For me, they are champs. However it's tough not to lift the prize in the house." Portland have actually now lost their last two MLS Mug looks, both with Savarese at the helm. In 2018 they lost at Atlanta United, making them one-for-two after beating Columbus Crew in 2015 under former manager Caleb Doorperson. Then hosting with the opportunity to bring the Phillip F. Anschutz Trophy back to Football City USA? That's the things tales are made of, as Savarese knows well. "It feels terrible, it feels sour, it really feels difficult to acceptMarvin Lora T-Shirt, " Savarese said. "So prior to we find out something from it, we need to really feel and recognize the emotions that we're mosting likely to have after this suit, not to attain what was our objective to lift a prize in the house. We couldn't have thought of a much more stunning scenario for us than raising the trophy." With this problem, Rose city miss out on out on the 2022 Concacaf Champions Organization place that currently goes NYCFC's means. And the Western Conference's No. 4 seed, having defeated Minnesota United, Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake in prior win-or-go-home contests, could not go the last action. Enigma, temporary and long-term, will certainly surface. Will Sebastian Blanco return for the 2022 campaign? Is famous midfielder Diego Valeri truly leaving? The amount of more years does Diego Chara have left in the container? Where did it go wrong against NYCFC? There are plenty extra. However, for now, it has to do with refining this minute and searching for the positives to fuel future success. Even if chances like these are extremely short lived in expert sports. "As I think every experience improves in you, in anything you need to do, it's not just about your career as well as the things that each gamer will do as well as likewise as a team and also me as a train-- these are finding out lessons for life also, " Savarese said. "That's why soccer is so important which's why football has such an enthusiasm from us to offer due to the fact that we understand these moments change us because you learn a lot. "Yet prior to we discover we need to still sink and also manage the emotions that sadly we will have from now until who knows when around not accomplishing this objective as well as commemorating the champion in your home."