Portland Timbers 1 : 2 Sounders FC (Match Report)

PGE was packed with 16,382, their largest crowd in USL franchise history, on a balmy summer night in front of an electric atmosphere. Schmid dropped Ljungberg, relegated Montero to the bench, and played Levesque with Jaqua and Le Toux up front. Sturgis played left back and Peter Vagenas in the holding midfield role. Timbers played in the same black strip they had used throughout this competition and Sounders turned up in their rave green.

The Timbers 11 was as expected with Suzuki keeping his left midfield place in front of the still unfit Ryan Pore, and Tony McManus finding a place on the bench.

It took Sounders just 49 seconds to take the lead in 85 degree heat. Stephen King found Sanna Nyassi on the right and his cross was met by Levesque’s diving header, leaving Steve Cronin helpless. It was Roger’s first goal for the MLS side. The Sounders section in the South West erupted, and it was the worst possible start for the USL side. It was only the fourth goal the home side had conceded in nine home games.

Three minutes in and Nyassi should have made it two after Jaqua’s through ball left him clear on Cronin, who saved well. Pat Ianni received a yellow shortly after, perhaps a little harshly. It was the first thing that had gone right for the Timbers. Mandjou Keita then put Timbers’ best chance so far wide of the right post, and it briefly looked that Timbers had survived the worst and found their feet.

George Josten looked sharp for the Timbers just before the 13th minute mark, showing enough skill to control the ball but his drive also went wide, however it was becoming clear that this was to be an open game with plenty chances. Eighteen minutes in and Sanna Nyassi looked a class above all the defenders, as he demonstrated the skill so far unseen by MLS fans, but his rifled shot was uncomfortably spilled for a corner by Cronin. Seven minutes later it was Nyassi again who threatened but this time, he blazed over when the ball fell to him after some loose play in the Timbers box.

Any chance Timbers had to fight their way back to parity diappeared however shortly after. Stephen King doubled the lead after Jaqua had done all the spade work. Peter Vagenas found Nate well out of harm’s way but the Oregonian forward wriggled, jiggled and battled and the ball fell slightly fortuitously to Stephen King whose drive beat Cronin’s right hand comfortably for the second. At this point Timbers looked more scared of an avalanche and embarrassment than anything else, but the side showed character with some of their older heads keeping it together.

Just before the half hour Jaqua drove to Cronin’s right as the Sounders shot tally reached seven. It was one of the Timbers heads that perhaps prevented that avalanche three minutes later. A right wing corner was met by Nyassi’s head and David Hayes headed off the line to keep the score 2-0. It was to be a crucial intervention by the player who was certainly the best wearing Portland’s black.

Portland briefly threatened with a looping header clearing Keller’s bar, and Josten and Taka Suzuki looked to be Timbers’ most dangerous components, often pairing up together to cause the Sounders rearguard issues.

However, Sounders half time oranges were to be spoiled. The excellent David Hayes popped a through ball into the Sounders box and everybody momentarily went to sleep except Mandjou Keita who rifled past a furious Keller. Sounders had outshot Portland by 11 to 8 with 6 to 3 on target, but at 2-0, had the game safe, and allowed their opponents a way back. Despite the dissatisfaction this certainly caused on the Sounders bench, it left the stadium absolutely abuzz during the interval.

Timbers began the second half better with Suzuki haring down the left hand and driving wide when he surely ought to have been challenged earlier. Shortly after King returned the favour and fired wide of the left post, bringing the total shots in this entertaining game to 20 inside the fifty minute mark. Jaqua had a goal ruled out for offside after Le Toux found Levesque who put him through. Suzuki took the ball and fed Hayes on the left. His pin point cross was badly headed wide by Keita. Chances just kept coming, Jaqua for the visitors and then Nyassi for upending Suzuki, and then McManus for hacking Le Toux picked up a cards. The Frenchman needed treatment and looked in some distress but did return. He was replaced shortly after by Fredy Montero. Hurtado made a superbly timed tackle to dispossess Bryan Farber with 23 minutes left, and Portland seemed to be beginning to see an upper hand emerging.

Timbers had a lucky escape in 74 when Fredy Montero fed King who slid the ball to Nyassi, his shot was deflected back towards goal by Thomson, and grabbed at the last by Cronin to prevent an own goal. In 76 Nyassi went down when an object was thrown from the crowd. Cronin tried to hide the evidence but if replays show that the Gambian wasn’t actually hit, trouble may flow for him. However he was brought off shortly after for New Zealander Jarrod Smith, and trouble may ensue for the Portland club if he was struck. Alex Nimo replaced the tiring McManus as Timbers went in search of the equaliser as the clock began to run down.

It wasn’t enough time and the Sounders will progress to the next round where they will host Kansas City Wizards on July 7. Quotes and more pictures to follow.

See also A Record Crowd on a Memorable Night

Portland Timbers: Steve Cronin, David Hayes, Cameron Knowles, Stephen Keel (Mamadou Danso 90′), Scot Thompson; Johan Claesson, Brian Farber, Keith Savage (Tony McManus 45′), Takayuki Suzuki; Mandjou Keita, George Josten (Alex Nimo 80′)

Substitutes not used: Brian Visser, Tom Poltl, Jason McLaughlin, Shaun Higgins,

Sounders FC: Kasey Keller, Nathan Sturgis, Jhon Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, James Riley; Seb Le Toux (Fredy Montero 66′), Sanna Nyassi (Jarrod Smith 78′), Stephen King, Peter Vagenas; Nate Jaqua, Roger Levesque (Tyson Wahl 92′),

Substitutes Not Used: Terry Boss, Evan Brown, Lamarr Neagle

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