MLS Portland Timbers

Sounders FC Prevail 3-2 Over Timbers

Published on July 10, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - A late penalty kick by midfielder Osvaldo Alonso provided Seattle Sounders FC the decisive goal in a 3-2 win over the Portland Timbers before a spirited, sold-out crowd of 18,627 at JELD-WEN Field Sunday afternoon.

The capacity crowd was the Timbers' 10th consecutive sellout for a league match at JELD-WEN Field in the club's inaugural MLS season.

After a hard-fought, scoreless first half, the Cascadia rivals erupted for five goals in the second half. The Timbers claimed the initial lead in the 46th minute on an own goal by Seattle, forced by midfielder Kalif Alhassan. Portland took a 2-1 lead in the 69th minute on a strike by forward Jorge Perlaza, but Seattle rallied back for two goals in the final 20 minutes and Alonso's penalty-kick goal in the 83rd minute proved the game-winner. Forward Fredy Montero scored twice in the second half for Sounders FC.

Montero improved his goals account to five on the season and took a game-high eight shots, Alonso scored his third of the season and midfielder Mauro Rosales logged his fifth assist as Seattle (9-4-8, 35pts) extended its unbeaten run in league play to eight games.

Perlaza recorded his fourth goal of the campaign and midfielder Diego Chara logged his first MLS assist as the two combined on the Timbers' second goal of the day. Portland (5-9-3, 18pts) lost its third straight match, extending its winless stretch to seven games.

With the match tied at 2-2, midfielder Lamar Neagle got in behind the Timbers' backline on a ball played over the top. Portland defender Eric Brunner tracked back, and as the two battled for the ball, Brunner's challenge brought the two players to the turf. Referee Jorge Gonzalez pointed to the spot, awarding Seattle a penalty kick, and issued Brunner a straight red card for the foul. Alonso converted the penalty kick and the Timbers were reduced to 10 men for the remainder of the contest.

Portland took a 2-1 lead in the 69th minute, starting an eventful finish to the match. From the middle of the park, Chara played Perlaza on a run down the right side. Perlaza charged into the penalty area and fired off a shot, which took a slight redirection off a Seattle defender and landed in the back of the net.

Seattle answered back five minutes later to pull level for a second time. Neagle initiated the play and found Rosales open down the right side. Rosales served a cross into the box for an open Montero just beyond the six-yard box. On the volley, Montero drilled a shot past Portland goalkeeper Troy Perkins for the 2-2 equalizer in the 74th minute.

A hard-working play down the right wing by Alhassan led to the opening goal by the Timbers one minute into the second half. He put pressure on Seattle's defense as he charged in along the byline and sent in a cross for Perlaza. Alhassan's pass hit off the heel of Sounders FC defender Jeff Parke, who was marking Perlaza, and deflected into the goal, resulting in an own goal.

Montero's free-kick goal in the 57th minute evened the score at 1-1. Montero was fouled 25 yards out to set up the attempt. On the re-start, he drilled a curling shot over the Timbers' defensive wall and tucked the ball just inside the left post as it skipped under the diving effort of Perkins.

The Timbers' defense made some key stops in the first half, including an early save by Perkins in the sixth minute; it was one of his four saves on the day. In the 31st minute, defender Futty Danso stepped up to block a shot by Montero at the top of the box to protect and open net. Eight minutes later, Brunner tracked back to break up a dangerous play by Alvaro Fernandez inside the box.

Perlaza almost found his first goal of the day in the 53rd minute as the recipient of a cross in from the left side from defender Rodney Wallace. The firm, low service from Wallace just missed Perlaza crashing in on the back post by a step as the ball rolled through. In the 64th minute, midfielder Jack Jewsbury nearly connected his free kick with Danso in the box, but the ball fell just beyond the defender and into the hands of Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

Perkins made his two second-half saves during the final 30 minutes of the contest, both on shots by Montero. In the 62nd minute, Perkins came off his line to deny a Montero's toe-poked shot from 12 yards out. He then turned away Montero's open header from the top of the six yard box in the 87th minute and was able to smother the loose ball before Montero could get to the rebound.

Down a man in second-half stoppage time, Chara nearly found the late equalizer. Perkins' sent the ball down field and it found Chara just inside the Seattle's penalty area. Off the bounce, Chara put a looping header on frame, but Keller was able to pluck the ball out of the air before it could find the net.

The Timbers take to the road for a tilt against the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on Saturday, July 16, at 5:30 p.m. (PT).

Notes:

During halftime, it was announced on the ESPN broadcast that Portland's Jack Jewsbury had been named to the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star First XI in advance of the upcoming MLS All-Star Game at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday, July 27.

Sunday marked the 76th all-time matchup between the Timbers and Sounders. The Cascadia rivalry began in 1975 when the two clubs were members of the original North American Soccer League and has continued through the Western Soccer League, United Soccer Leagues and now MLS. Seattle also won the first match as NASL foes on May 2, 1975, at then-called Civic Stadium.

In the 76 meetings between Portland and Seattle, the Timbers are 27-40-9 all-time. The Timbers hold a lead in the all-time series against the Sounders in Portland at 19-17-2.

The Timbers have had 11 sell-out crowds overall (10 MLS, 1 Exhibition) at JELD-WEN Field in 2011. The exhibition against AFC Ajax also drew a capacity crowd.

With the win, Seattle takes the lead in the race for the Cascadia Cup - a fan-based derby between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver Whitecaps FC based upon the head-to-head record between the three Northwest clubs. Seattle now has five points, followed by Portland and Vancouver with one.

For the first time this season, the Timbers were handed a loss after scoring the game's first goal. Prior to Sunday, the Timbers were a perfect 5-0-0 when scoring first against their opponent.

Portland's James Marcelin made his fifth start of the season on Sunday; it was his first league start since April 23 at LA Galaxy.

The penalty kick conceded by the Timbers in the 83rd minute was the eighth goal allowed this season by the Timbers during the final 15 minutes of a match.

For the second time in four matches, the Timbers have been involved in a game in which five combined goals were scored in the second half - a season high. Five total goals were scored in the second half of the Timbers' 3-3 draw against the New York Red Bulls on June 19 at JELD-WEN Field.

Perkins' four saves against Seattle marked the fifth time this season in which he has recorded four or more saves in a game. He's logged four or more saves in four of the team's last six games.

Portland was out-shot by Seattle 14-11; it was just the second time at home this season in which the Timbers had been out-shot by their opponent. The other occasion was against the Columbus Crew on May 21 in the Timbers' 1-0 win.

The Timbers fall to 1-3-0 overall in day matches and are now even at 2-2-0 in home games in which they enter halftime tied with their opponent. Additionally, Portland is now 2-2-0 against Western Conference opponents at JELD-WEN Field.

Brunner is the first Timbers player to be issued a red card this season and becomes the first in the club's MLS history to see a straight red. He will miss the Timbers' next match against Chicago due to a one-game, league-imposed suspension for being ejected.

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 10, 2011


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