Sunday, June 9, 2013
TUMWATER, Wash. – The Portland Timbers U-23s regained sole possession of first place in the PDL’s Northwest Division as they defeated the Sounders FC U-23 1-0 on Sunday afternoon. A late goal from substitute Zack Foxhoven broke the scoreless draw in the 85th minute, and put the Timbers ahead for good, despite several late chances from the Sounders to equalize.
The enthusiastic crowd of more than a thousand Sounders supporters was treated to an exciting match between equally matched, and rival foes, at Tumwater District Stadium. Although the first half of the contest remained scoreless, the play was open for both sides, and the Sounders and the Timbers had opportunities to get on the board first.
In the 20th minute, Timbers-U23s midfilder Zach Barnes found room to take a shot on goal from about 20 yards on the right side of the penalty area. Barnes’ shot was driven right at well-positioned goalkeeper Zac Lubin, who managed to get his hands above his head and push the effort from Barnes up over the goal.
The Timbers U-23s had a chance again just two minutes later when Jaime Velasco made a run up the right side into the box. Velasco beat two Sounders defenders and looked to pass across the box to an open teammate, but a timely touch from Michael Gallagher just as Velasco hit the pass helped direct the danger safely to Lubin.
The Sounders FC U-23 began to find a rhythm later in the first half, and created several close calls for the Timbers’ defense before heading to the break. In the 30th minute, Aodhan Quinn sent a curling free kick toward the front of the goal where he nearly found Sean Okoli at the back post. Quinn’s left-footed free kick swerved around the Portland defense and Okoli tried to jump and direct it home on the far post, but could not quite connect.
In the 38th minute midfielder Michael Harris took a long throw from the right side touch line. His throw made it down to Okoli on the far post, and he tried to spin fast and shoot the ball with a defender on his left hip. However, Timbers keeper David Meves watched Okoli’s effort sail high over the crossbar.
As the Sounders continued to pressure the Timbers’ defense late in the first half, defender Steve Mohn had a chance to take his side into the second half with a lead. A Portland half-clearance found its way to Mohn at the top of the penalty are, where the Sounders U-23 defender lined up a shot, and drove the ball first time on a rope at the goal. The ball had the speed and height, but missed just off the far post, and the two sides went into the break scoreless.
The Timbers U23s found themselves in control and in attacking positions early in the second half. Their closest chance of the match came in the 59th minute when Gabriel Conelian got open in front of goal just left of center in the middle of the penalty area. Conelian took a shot that was heading quickly into the top-left corner of the goal. A quick adjustment from Sounders’ keeper Lubin helped him get just enough of a reaching touch to glance the ball up off of the crossbar.
During the middle of the second half, the pace of play for both sides slowed, and neither could get into a rhythm with both sides combining for seven substitutions between the 52nd minute and the 78th minute of the match. The Timbers were the side that finally started to assert the attacking pressure as the match began to dwindle into its final minutes.
In the 80th minute the Timbers collected a half-cleared corner and sent a sharp ball into the box toward Mark Sherrod. Sherrod was first to the cross and directed his header toward the far post, but the shot went just wide.
Timbers second-half substitute Foxhoven found the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute when he collected a pass in the center of the penalty area from Nick Palodichuk. Foxhoven did not waste any time with the ball and immediately sent it into the net with a left-footed shot past the diving save attempt of Lubin.
The Sounders refused to let the 83rd-minute goal go uncontested, and continued to apply pressure as the final minutes slipped away, looking to equalize. With Harris’ throw-in ability, every ball the Timbers played out was an opportunity to get it into scoring position.
The Sounders U-23’s last real opportunity came in the 89th minute. A long throw from Harris across the pitch found Okoli down low near the far post. Okoli was able to direct the tying effort towards the goal, but the near post kept it out, as it hit the frame and went out of play for a goal kick.
The loss brings the Sounders U-23’s current three-game winning streak to an end. At the midway point of the PDL season, the Sounders U-23 have a record of 3-3-1, giving them 10 points. The Sounders U-23 will look to get back to winning form on Saturday, June 15th, when they will take on the Washington Crossfire FC at Starfire Sports Stadium at 8 p.m. PT. For more information and for tickets to the match, visit SoundersU23.com.