It's the Portland Timbers, so of course it couldn't be easy.

First, a two-goal lead became a one-goal lead. Then it started raining. Then it started lightning. Then the game-tying goal was ruled out after a minute's conversation. Then the Timbers started missing breakaway chances, 3 v 2s, then 2 v 1s, then 1 v 0s, then even 2 v 0s, but when it was finally done and dusted, it was a satisfying, all-important W.

Portland beat the Montreal Impact in front of a crowd at Stade Saputo rendered spartan by a Montreal Canadians playoff hockey game, 2-1. All three goals in the match came within seven minutes of each other, first a rebound nod-in from Nat Borchers, than a scorcher from Diego Valeri, before Dominic Oduro pulled a goal back for the Impact.

The Timbers are miles and miles better than Montreal, and they probably shouldn't have made it as hard as they did. But after the start the Timbers have had, it doesn't matter. This win feels pretty damn good.

The match certainly took a while to get going. A slow start was always a strong possibility with Portland's long trip and Montreal's midweek Canadian Championship exertions, and proceedings were only made more languid by the nonexistent atmosphere and sticky, suffocating heat. But while the Timbers were slow to the punch in the first half, they did gradually assert their presence in the game—and by the time the second half rolled around, it was clear who the superior team was.

Borchers opened the scoring on a set-piece that was kept alive by a terrific cross from Diego Chara. Evan Bush made a terrific save on Fanendo Adi's header, but Borchers was there to clean up the rebound. Sorry, that should be Timbers Second-Leading Scorer Nat Borchers was there to clean up the rebound.

Valeri would make it two just minutes later, bending a laser past Bush from 20 yards. Rodney Wallace set it up with an important hustle play, but with each Valeri milestone—this his first goal back from injury—the stomach-clenching fear that he wouldn't come back the same player as he was before he got hurt ebbs away in euphoric relief. It would be Valeri's last contribution to the match before being substituted for Dairon Asprilla. A maestro's exit.

From there, things would get downright batty.

The Impact thought they had tied the game on a headed goal from striker Jack McInerny thought he leveled the match late, but almost a minute after the goal was given, it was ruled out for a foul. Turns out, McInerny had thrown Jack Jewsbury into the goalmouth, which was why he was so wide open to head it in.

Instead of the Geiger Show, it was the Geiger Assistant Referee Show. The Timbers' owe the linesman two of their three points.

Even with the rough finish, there were many positives. Chara was absolutely phenomenal—the Timbers best and most vital performer. Of course some of his best moments came from running, an art the Impact just about gave up after McInerny's goal was ruled out, but all day Chara was everywhere in the midfield, breaking up attacks, bothering a bottled-up Ignacio Piatti, and starting the Timbers back on offense.

Jack Jewsbury, in about his 12th career renaissance, is a terrific compliment to Chara's all-action game. With the threat of missing Alvas Powell due to a yellow-card suspension necessitating Jewsbury's move to right back, look for Portland to be in no rush integrating Will Johnson back into the starting lineup.

The central midfield that was such a major concern in the aftermath of Ben Zemanski's injury has actually been one of the Timbers' big strengths this year. The minute Johnson comes back into the team, it's a question mark again.

Powell did well not to pick up a caution. In the four consecutive games he was one yellow card away from a ban, and now a good-behavior incentive kicks in that alleviates that card pressure. Powell was excellent again in this match. He's the MLS leader in tackles, by a long, long ways, and it's becoming clear that all the faith put into the young Jamaican, and all the moments suffered with him over the last two years are paying off.

How Powell turned himself into a top-class MLS fullback wasn't easily foreseeable, but Powell has bulked up, embraced the physical aspect of the game, found some intensity, and become a terrific one v. one defender. His offense still needs work—in the first half he passed up an opportunity to play Adi in and instead took three extra dribbles and squibbed a shot wide—but he's getting there. Next year he should be an all-star.

The forward situation that got Caleb Porter in trouble this week is still puzzling. Adi's return to the team was warranted, and his performance upbeat—Borchers' goal is, for all intents and purposes, his—but the big Nigerian still lacks sharpness.

That problem pails in comparison to the comedy routine put on by Portland's attacking subs, Asprilla, Ishmael Yartey, and then Maxi Urruti, who failed to put breakaway after breakaway.

Yartey's involvement was only due to the notable absence of Gaston Fernandez, the player who took the brunt of the blame for the first-team infused T2 tire-fire last weekend at Providence Park. This exclusion doesn't look good for La Gata's future. The clock appears to be ticking on his time in Portland.

In the end, though, the Impact couldn't pounce on the Timbers' profligacy. They hardly even tried. Montreal continue to be a nearly unwatchable disaster, and now that their magical Champions League run has ended, they're going to have to confront that fact.

Full-time brought a fist pump from a soaked Caleb Porter. This week hasn't been easy for him—some of that down to his own, can't-help-himself patronization of reporters—but in MLS, Montreal is a soft landing place for a coach under fire. Next week at a poor Houston team, the Timbers have a real chance to put a mini-run together.

This one is done and dusted, and it's about as low-key as MLS gets. A day game in May at Stade Saputo. You take what's positive—Valeri, Chara, Powell—and march on. These wins are protein for a season. Not pretty, but absolutely necessary. They pave the way for bigger days ahead.