PORTLAND, Ore. – Flashing a knowing grin, Nigel de Jong admitted that he “felt very welcomed” after his first trip to Providence Park on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday, the Dutchman was public enemy number one in Portland as he drew boos each time he touched the ball during his 69-minute shift in the Galaxy's 2-1 victory. The treatment came as no surprise after the midfielder earned a four-game suspension for a foul on Portland’s Darlington Nagbe back in April.
The chilly reception from the Timbers Army couldn’t stop De Jong or the Galaxy, however, as Los Angeles earned a 2-1 win over Portland. After the victory, de Jong had one word to describe his reception at Providence Park.
“Fantastic.”
“I’m experienced enough, and I’ve been in this type of situation in many times in my career. A hostile environment not only has an effect on me, but also on the team to lift their levels up,” De Jong said. “You could see that [Saturday] as well. You come into an environment that’s hostile against one of your colleagues, and you lift your game up. How sweet is it when you win here as well in this environment?”
