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Thunder Come Back to Draw Portland Timbers 1-1 in Final Seconds

July 4, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Minnesota Thunder News Release


BLAINE, Minn. - The Minnesota Thunder are having problems finding a system that will result in a win during this 2009 campaign, but nobody can complain with tonight's 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers. Minnesota was down for the majority of the second half but a goal in the last seconds left the Thunder earning a point. The goal, from Jeremiah Bass, came after the prescribed stoppage time but the referees could not blow the final whistle because the play was still in process. A draw is a vast improvement from the 5-1 Portland win the last time these two teams met.

Minnesota Goalkeeper, Nic Platter, nearly gave up a goal in the seventh minute. Portland blasted a shot on target but luckily for the Thunder the ball deflected off of the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

Rod Dyachenko made Timbers keeper, Steve Cronin, earn his stripes in the eighth minute. Brian Cvilikas had the ball on the left side of the field when he set Dyachenko up for a goal. He headed a shot but Cronin dove and made the save.

Cvilikas sent a shot that missed high by only inches in the 16th minute. Melvin Tarley accepted a pass in stride and took the ball all the way to the box until he sent a cross Cvilikas' way. Cvilikas overran the pass but was able to put on the brakes to take possession of the ball for a shot. His try was looking good until the ball sailed just over the net for a goal kick.

As the halftime whistle blew, the game was tied at zero and both teams were itching for the opening goal.

Portland scored the opening goal in the 63rd minute. Tony McManus, who was sitting at the top of the six yard box, misdirected the ball when it was rifled from Ketia Mandjou from the top of the penalty box. Platter easily could have made the save if McManus did not get his foot on it, but he sent the ball to the opposite side of the goal away from Platter's reach.

Platter made an impressive diving save to keep the game within reach in the 69th minute. Ryan Pore of Portland took the shot from the top of the 18 yard box and tried to hit the lower right corner but Platter was able to deflect the shot wide right.

Pore tried to sneak another shot past Platter but the Minnesota keeper denied access to the ball. Pore was at the upper left corner of the penalty box when he took his shot and went low and to the left. Platter made another diving save keeping the Thunder down by one.

Both Ricardo Sanchez and Geoffrey Myers had shots that nearly tied the game in the 89th minute for the Thunder. Myers crushed a shot that was on target but right to Cronin who could not catch it but punched it out to Sanchez. Sanchez took a shot from the top of the 18 yard box but the ball sailed high and just to the left.

The Timbers knocked the ball out for a corner kick in the final seconds of play, and even Nic Platter came up to help Minnesota even up the game. Sanchez booted the ball and the entire Minnesota team peppered Cronin with shots. The ball ended up at the foot of Jeremiah Bass and he slipped the ball past Cronin for the equalizer.

The Thunder fans went wild as Bass evened up the game. Almost immediately after the ball was put back in play, the final whistle blew but it was hardly heard over the screams of the fans.

"We played very well in the first half," said Thunder defender/midfielder Melvin Tarley. "We came out very strong and we had the ball a lot with a lot of opportunities. The second half was a little weak but we came back in the end."

Next on the Thunder's plate is a one game road trip to Vancouver to face the Whitecaps. After returning from Vancouver, Minnesota is on a five game home stand playing the majority of their July matches at the National Sports Center including one game when Minnesota hosts C.S.D. Comunicaciones of Guatemala. That match will be a part of the USA Cup and will be held on Wednesday, July 22 at 7:35 p.m.

For individual tickets for home matches, please visit www.ticketmaster.com or for group tickets call the Thunder office at 651.294.4664.

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