Friday, May 11, 2012
PORTLAND, Ore. – A first-half brace by forward Mark Sherrod and a goal by striker Emery Welshman guided the Portland Timbers U-23s to a 3-0 win over Fraser Valley Mariners FC in their Premier Development League season opener at JELD-WEN Field before 1,257 fans on Friday night.
Sherrod and Welshman each scored in the opening 16 minutes of the match to put the Timbers U-23s on top 2-0 early. Sherrod then found the back of the net for a second time in the first half, driving home a header in the 40th minute to seal the 3-0 victory. Portland put Fraser Valley under pressure throughout the match, generating 27 shots. The Timbers U-23s had a chance to add to their lead late in the match, but Mariners FC goalkeeper Mark Village made a stop on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute.
Sherrod and Welshman scored their first PDL goals and midfielder Cam Vickers and defender Reed Matte each recorded assists to help the Timbers U-23s (1-0-0, 3pts) to their season-opening win. Goalkeepers Spencer Richey and Justin Baarts each made a save to contribute to the team’s first shutout of 2012.
Village finished with seven saves and forward Adrian Kekec took a team high three shots for Mariners FC (0-1-0, 0pts) in the first of a two-game road trip to open the 2012 campaign.
The Timbers U-23s staked an early 1-0 lead in the 10th minute. Matte worked the ball down the right flank and crossed the ball into the penalty area. Sherrod was unmarked at the top of the box and leapt up to head the ball on frame. His shot got by Village, who left his line to challenge the play, and Sherrod’s shot landed in the back of an open net.
Welshman lifted the Timbers U-23s to a 2-0 advantage in the 16th minute. Midfielder Roberto Farfan played the ball down the left side to Welshman on the attack. At the top left corner of the box, Welshman worked past his defender and unloaded a shot on frame. Village was in position to get his hands to the low shot on the near post, but the ball deflected off and bounced over the line.
Sherrod notched his second goal of the first half in the 40th minute, capping a run of pressure by the Timbers U-23s. Vickers drove a sharply hit cross from deep in the right corner into the box, where Sherrod was slashing through. Sherrod knocked home a shot from inside 10 yards, giving Portland a 3-0 lead at halftime.
The Timbers U-23s dictated the run of play in the first half, out-shooting Fraser Valley 17-3. Portland’s first scoring chance came in the eighth minute, with Sherrod heading a cross from Matte just wide of the mark. Mariners FC defender Daniel Molendijk cleared a close range shot by Portland’s Farfan off the line with a sliding effort in the 18th minute.
Late in the first half, Village was called upon to make a pair of quick saves. Timbers U-23s midfielder Andrew Ribiero put a shot on frame from the top of the box, which Village saved, but the ball deflected back into the box. Sherrod was there for the follow-up effort, but Village was able to make another quick save from the ground.
Portland continued to pressure throughout the second half. Midfielder Steven Evans set up Sherrod for a scoring chance in the 62nd minute with a back-heeled a pass at the top of the box that played Sherrod in on goal. Sherrod hammered a shot that Village knocked up over the goal. Seven minutes later, Sherrod had a pair of shots from close range; the first was saved by Village and the follow-up was cleared off the line by Mariners FC defender Jason Cordiero.
Matte found the woodwork in the 81st minute, drilling the top left corner of the goal from 20 yards out after working his way forward down the left side.
Timbers U-23s sub Clark Phillips was fouled inside the box in the 83rd minute to set up a penalty-kick attempt. Evans stepped up to take the kick and hit it down the right side, but Village turned the effort away with a diving stop.
The Timbers U-23s return to action on Tuesday, May 15, when they play host to PSA Elite of the U.S. Adult Soccer Association in the first round of the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at JELD-WEN Field; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 and are available for purchase at the JELD-WEN Field box office or online at through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com. Gates open at 5:15 p.m. and the Major League Soccer match between the Portland Timbers and Houston Dynamo will be shown live on the JELD-WEN Field video wall.