Portland Timbers Rio Grande
August 1, 2017 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Portland Timbers 2 News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. - Playing their 11th match at home during the 2017 USL regular season, T2 defeated Rio Grande Valley FC Toros2-1 at Providence Park on Saturday night. Midfielder Villyan Bijev recorded the game-winning goal, while midfielder Omar Mohamed recorded his first career goal and added an assist. With the win, Portland earned its first win at home this season and improved their record to 2-1-0 all-time against Rio Grande Valley.
T2 (2-15-3, 9pts) scored the game-winning goal in the 81st minute, when Mohamed played a scooped pass to Bjiev on the edge of the 18-yard box, and Bijev's half-volleyed attempt was struck into the far lower corner of the net. The goal was Bijev's team-leading seventh of the season.
Portland opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Mohamed dispossessed a Rio Grande Valley defender inside the box, and rifled his shot past Toros goalkeeper Marco Carducci at the far post.
Rio Grande Valley (6-10-3, 21pts) equalized shortly after when forward Joseph Holland headed home a cross in the 30th minute past T2 goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh, who finished the match with four saves, including a penalty stop on midfielder Jose Escalante in the 53rd minute and another diving penalty save to his left on RGV midfielder Todd Wharton in the 88th minute to preserve the lead.
Holding a 5-4 shot advantage in the first half, T2 midfielder Villyan Bijev unleashed a left-footed drive from just outside the 18-yard box that forced Carducci into a diving save in the third minute. In the 12th minute, midfielder Russell Cicerone beat his defender down the right flank and sent in a low cross across the face of goal that found defender Kyle Bjornethun, and his low shot from the left edge of the box was saved by Carducci. Continuing to apply pressure, Mohamed picked out forward Augustine Williams from a corner kick, and his header was sent over the crossbar in the 17th minute. Two minutes later, midfielder Tomás Granitto's free-kick attempt from 25-yards out was fired over the crossbar in the 19th minute.
In the second half, Bijev played a chipped ball in behind the Toros defense that picked out an onrushing Cicerone, and his shot from inside the penalty area was fired over the target in the 69th minute.
Next up, T2 travel to face Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field on Saturday, Aug. 5; kickoff is set for 5 p.m. (Pacific).
United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 1, 2017
- Portland Timbers Rio Grande - Portland Timbers 2
- Kendall McIntosh Named USL Player of the Week - Portland Timbers 2
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