The Colorado Rapids got off to a shaky start to the MLS season, falling hard to the Portland Timbers in a 4-1 defeat at Providence Park on Saturday. Many had hoped the Rapids would find their footing after an unsure preseason, but the team failed to match the Timbers' pace, highlighted by an own goal from Sam Vines which seemed to symbolize their floundering form, as reported by The Denver Post.

Rising to the occasion with the verve of an old pro, Portland's Antony da Silva, far from being distracted by his off-the-field life as a father to a one-week-old, scored two goals that sent the Timbers sailing to victory. Having spent the offseason in Portland, the 22-year-old winger stepped up, perhaps fueled by paternal pride, and told The Oregonian, "I think it was a perfect way to show him how good it is to play football."

The Timbers, under the fresh stewardship of Phil Neville, introduced in November 2023, are thirsting for a redux of their 2015 MLS Cup championship glory. The pursuit of a redemption arc began with a thumping statement against the Rapids, who they'd bested 10 times in the past 14 home-soil encounters, as noted by Sports Mole.

The Timbers seemed to have left their shaky preseason, where they won once and drew another out of four matches, in the dust. As they charged into the regular season, fans can't help but wonder if the Rapids will rally back or continue to be haunted by echoes of last season, where opening game setbacks proved to be a grim harbinger of the games to follow. Both teams kicked off with 0.7 expected goals each in the first half—another parallel to a starting line where anticipation and anxiety meet as previous memories weigh heavily in the balance, according to The Denver Post.