MLS Portland Timbers

Mwanga Scores Two as Timbers, Earthquakes Draw 2-2

Published on September 20, 2012 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Portland Timbers forward Danny Mwanga scored a brace and forward Chris Wondolowski came off of the bench to score two for the San Jose Earthquakes as the two sides played to a spirited 2-2 draw at Buck Shaw Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Timbers, playing their second match in five days, jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the MLS-leading Earthquakes behind Mwanga's goals on either side of halftime. San Jose put Portland under heavy pressure throughout the second half and was able to pull one back in the 73rd minute on Wondolowki's 20th goal of the season. Trailing by a goal two minutes into the second-half stoppage time, Wondolowski then headed in the equalizer, extending the Earthquakes' unbeaten run at home to 13 matches with a 2-2 draw.

The Timbers' defense, featuring goalkeeper Joe Bendik in his first MLS start, faced 23 shots by the Earthquakes, with 14 of those coming in the second half. Portland recorded a season-high seven saves, including five from Bendik and a first-half, goal-line stop by defender David Horst, to help pick up a point on the road.

Mwanga recorded the second two-goal performance of his career, midfielder Rodney Wallace logged his first assist of the season and midfielder Franck Songo'o was credited with his fourth assist for the Timbers (7-14-8, 29pts). Portland has earned points in six of its last eight games.

Wondolowski notched his fifth multiple-goal game of the season to extend his MLS-best goals total to 21 on the season. Forwards Alan Gordon and Steven Lenhart each earned assists, while forward Simon Dawkins and midfielder Ramiro Corrales shared the team-lead with four shots each for San Jose (17-6-6, 57pts).

With the draw, the Earthquakes, unbeaten in their last four games, extend their lead on the Supporters' Shield race to three points.

The Timbers struck for the opening goal in the final minute of the first half. On a counter attack, Mwanga and Wallace played a one-two, and Wallace sent a leading ball for Mwanga into the box. Mwanga held off his defender and worked around charging San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch before slotting a shot into the back of an open net.

Taking advantage of another counter attack, the Timbers doubled their lead 2-0 in the 62nd minute on Mwanga's second goal of the night. Songo'o had a hard-fought run up the middle of the park, avoiding multiple tackles, before finding Mwanga open on the left side. Mwanga set himself up for a shot from distance and drilled the ball into the top right corner of the goal; it was his third goal of the season against San Jose.

Wondolowski came on as a second-half sub in the 58th minute and helped San Jose climb out of the two-goal deficit. In the 73rd minute, a ball played over the top was continued on by Gordon and Lenhart before finding the feet of Wondolowski inside the box. Wondolowski finished inside the left post, beating the diving effort by Bendik.

The match intensified over the final 20 minutes, with San Jose's unbeaten run at home on the line. The Earthquakes played a ball in to the box from the left side and Timbers defender Hanyer Mosquera used his head to knock it off course. But the ball fell to Wondolowski on the back post, and the league's leading goal scorer headed home the late equalizer to level the score at 2-2.

Wondolowski's second goal of the night marked the Earthquakes' MLS-record eighth goal this season scored in second-half stoppage time.

Portland had a chance to steal all three points in the closing moments of the match, when Songo'o carried the ball almost the full length of the field on a counter attack and passed the ball off to Dike at the top of the box. Dike's shot from 15 yards missed just wide of the right post as the Earthquakes defense chased him down from behind.

The Timbers continue their two-match road trip Saturday when they visit Real Salt Lake for the second time this season at Rio Tinto Stadium at 5 p.m. (Pacific) on NBC Sports Network. Saturday's match will also feature live radio broadcasts on 101.1 FM KXL in Spanish on La Pantera 940 AM.

Notes:

* The Timbers and Earthquakes met for the fourth time in MLS play on Wednesday. The Timbers are unbeaten in the MLS series with a record of 1-0-3 against San Jose. * The Earthquakes are one of four MLS sides that the Timbers are unbeaten against in MLS play. The others are the Chicago Fire, Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. * With Wednesday's draw, the Timbers improve to 2-1-3 over their last six matches against Western Conference opponents and are now 3-2-3 in weekday matches in 2012. * San Jose attempted 23 shots against the Timbers on Wednesday, the most by a Portland opponent the season. The Earthquakes attempted 11 of their 23 shots from inside the box. * The Earthquakes' nine shots on goal marked the most by a Timbers opponent since July 14, when the LA Galaxy recorded 10 in a 5-3 win over Portland at JELD-WEN Field. * Timbers forward Danny Mwanga recorded the club's third multiple-goal performance of the 2012 campaign with two goals against San Jose; it was the second brace of his MLS career. Mwanga's first brace came as a member of the Philadelphia Union on May 28, 2011, against Toronto FC. * All three of Mwanga's goals this season have come against the Earthquakes; he scored in Portland's 2-1 win over San Jose on July 3 at JELD-WEN Field. * Mwanga's second goal of the night in the 62nd minute marked his 15th career MLS goal. Additionally, Mwanga made his 75th career appearance and his 40th career start on Wednesday. * Mwanga's first goal in the 45th minute marked the first time in seven matches (since July 28 against Chicago) in which San Jose conceded the first goal of a match and broke a run of 216 minutes of shut-out play by the Earthquakes defense. * The Timbers backline kept the Earthquakes, who lead MLS with 60 goals scored this season, off the board in the first half. The last time San Jose was held without a first-half goal was Aug. 11 against Seattle. * Midfielder/defender Rodney Wallace earned his first assist of the season on Mwanga's first-half goal. He has recorded one goal and one assist over the last two matches. * Wallace played in his 40th match for the Timbers on Wednesday, becoming the ninth player in the club's MLS history to make 40 or more appearances. * Midfielder Franck Songo'o committed a season-high seven fouls against San Jose, topping Diego Chara's six fouls committed against Columbus on May 5. * The Timbers matched a season-high with seven saves against the Earthquakes' league-leading offense; a mark first set May 15 against Houston.

* Timbers goalkeeper Joe Bendik made his first MLS start Wednesday against San Jose. He has made two other league appearances this season coming off the bench.

* Bendik made five saves in his first MLS start, matching the most saves by a Timbers MLS goalkeeper in their first start with the club. Goalkeeper Adin Brown recorded five saves in the Timbers' debut MLS match March 19, 2011.

* Forward Kris Boyd, making his first start since Aug. 15 at Toronto FC, left the match in the 18th minute after sustaining an injured groin in the 13th minute while challenging for a header in the box; his shot missed just wide of the right post. He was replaced by forward Bright Dike.

* Timbers captain Jack Jewsbury made his 200th career MLS start on Wednesday, and joins a list of 59 other field players in MLS history who have made 200 regular-season starts.

* Portland's Lovel Palmer made his first start at right back on Wednesday against San Jose since April 7. Palmer recently returned from international duty with the Jamaica National Team, where he features as a right fullback. * With Palmer in the Starting XI, defender Kosuke Kimura had a run of 12 consecutive starts come to an end on Wednesday. However, Kimura did play in a 13th consecutive match, coming on for Palmer in the 83rd minute. * Due to injuries to goalkeepers Donovan Ricketts and Jake Gleeson last weekend, the Timbers called up MLS league pool goalkeeper Scott Angevine, who served as the backup to Bendik against the Earthquakes. * The Timbers play three of their remaining five regular-season matches on the road.

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 20, 2012


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