Friday, May 31, 2013
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers U-23s received goals from forward Clark Phillips and midfielder Victor Souto and turned in strong defensive performance to defeat North Sound SeaWolves FC 2-0 before 5,897 fans on a Providence Health & Fitness Day at JELD-WEN Field on Friday afternoon.
The 5,897 on hand marked the largest crowd in the Premier Development League (PDL) this season, eclipsing the Fresno Fuego’s crowd of 4,617 on May 9.
Phillips opened the scoring five minutes before halftime and Souto tallied in the 89th minute. Anchored by goalkeeper David Meves, Portland’s defense held SeaWolves FC to eight shots and recorded its third shutout in four games to seal the team’s fourth straight win to open the season.
The Timbers U-23s (4-0-0, 12pts) move into first place in the PDL’s Northwest Division with the win.
Midfielders Zach Hamer and Daniel Van Vleet combined for four shots and goalkeeper Keegan Rogers registered seven saves in the loss for SeaWolves FC (0-3-1, 1pt).
Phillips struck for this team-leading third goal of the season in the 40th minute. Forward Reinaldo Brenes was played in down the left side of the penalty area and had his initial shot blocked by Rogers charging off his line. The ball popped up in the air and came down on the back side of the goal. Phillips raced in and tapped the ball into the back of an empty net.
Making his team debut, Souto provided the insurance goal late in the match. A free kick by Brenes from the right side was chested down inside the box by forward Mark Sherrod and Souto was in position to drive the ball from 15 yards out inside the right post for his first goal of the season.
Portland generated 11 of its 18 shots in the first half, forcing Rogers to make four saves. Midfielder Nick Palodichuk had an early chance from inside the left corner of the box pushed off target by a diving save from Rogers in the sixth minute. Sherrod had a shot from 22 yards out on the right side just miss the top far corner of the goal in the 35th minute.
North Sound turned away two scoring chances by the Timbers U-23s in the 66th minute. Rogers got his fingertips to a shot by Timbers U-23s midfielder Gabriel Conelian from the top of the box and the ball struck the crossbar. The ball fell to Portland’s Zack Foxhoven on the right post, but his follow-up effort was cleared off the goal line by SeaWolves FC defender Matt Eronemo.
Meves was called into action in the opening minute by North Sound when forward Zachary Hammond attempted a clean shot from the top of the six-yard box and Meves came up with the first of his two saves in the match.
The Timbers U-23s return to action Saturday as they visit division-rival the Kitsap Pumas at Gordon Park Field in Bremerton, Wash., at 7 p.m. (Pacific). Saturday’s match opens a stretch of four consecutive road matches for the Timbers U-23s through June 15.