Ryan Pore celebrates after scoring the game winner Thursday night.
Portland would strike first. In the 7th minute, forward OJ Obatola would take a kick to the head leaping for a loose ball, drawing a foul a few yards outside the Vancouver box. Pore would then line-up to take the free kick, bending a brilliant shot around a wall of Whitecap defenders, finding the top-left shelf for a goal. The 5,808 in attendance at PGE Park erupted. An amazing shot. Not only was the shot Pore's 5th goal of the season, but it was the first goal of the year scored against Whitecap's keeper Jay Nolly.
However, the celebration would be short lived. Vancouver's pressure was effective early, earning them 5 corners in the 1st half and 10 overall for the game. The Whitecaps would nearly score in the opening minutes, a header off a their first corner cross that would clang off the far post. Throughout the 1st half, Portland would find difficulties organizing and locking down to defend Vancouver's well-executed set pieces. And in the 11th minute, the Whitecaps would capitalize off their 3rd corner attempt, when team captain Martin Nash would send a ball over the middle that defender Nelson Akwari would take out the air, blasting a head shot past keeper Steve Cronin. By the end of the 1st half, Vancouver seemingly had Portland on their heels. Although they would find their opportunities, Portland's play early was rushed and a bit sloppy. It seemed that the team was pressing, often carelessly opting for the long ball, instead of waiting for a more patient play.
"It takes time to settle into a rhythm." said Head Coach Gavin Wilkinson. "We're only 4 games into the season and what I've told the players is that it's important to work out and earn respect from the opposition. We can't go into games expecting to play our best early on.... We have to work our way into games. We can't look to go and start playing immediately. So it's a matter of taking our time."
"We came out a little sluggish." said Pore. "You know, credit our back-four because Marlon (James) and (Marcus) Haber are a handful up top and Nash plays great balls in behind, so we were fortunate to be tied 1-1 going into halftime, but I thought we regrouped a bit and put it together a little better in the 2nd half."
A high-paced and passionate match with physical play coming from both sides, perhaps it was only inevitable that tensions would run high and eventually erupt on the field. 7 yellow cards, a red card, and a healthy dose of fouls were handed out by last-minute replacement referee Desmond Miller, who was perhaps slightly in over his head. Apparently, Miller had most recently been officiating local high school soccer. The yellow-card happy referee gave Portland 5 cautions, many of which seemed overblown, misjudged, or undeserving. For instance, a 42nd minute yellow handed to Quavas Kirk for making a play on the ball that tripped Nash to the ground, certainly deserving of a foul, but pulling out the yellow card seemed unnecessary. The exact same thing could be said for Rodrigo Lopez's yellow card later in the 2nd half.
The official's attempts to gain control of the game were for naught, as emotions would finally spill over on the field. Vancouver would start the 2nd half focused and playing very aggressive soccer, earning back-to-back corners in the early minutes. Then in the 65th minute, Caps forward Johnny Steele would receive a long ball over the top as he raced towards the goal, only to be fouled from behind by defender Stephen Keel. Although it appeared that Keel may have poked the ball away cleanly (the linesman didn't make the call, the referee positioned behind the play blew his whistle and late), perhaps Steele took offense to the hard challenge, as he jumped up from the ground, rushing at Keel to give him a hard shove. Teammates from both teams would swarm in, as heated words and a few more shoves were tossed around.
"Everyone got a little fired up. Words were exchanged, pushes were exchanged." said Keel. "And from there I think we got a little spark."
Eventually, the players were separated and Nash would take the free kick, looping a shot out of Cronin's reach that would deflect off the post, just inches wide of a goal. Another close call and certainly, the game didn't seem to be going Portland's way.
"We have to deal with it and play through." said Kirk. "....You're not always gonna get all the calls."
The final straw would come in the 84th minute. Mamadou Danso called for his 2nd yellow of the day was thus given a red card and ejected from the game. The Timbers and their fans would holler in protest. A poor judgment call by the official. The play was relatively harmless and certainly not malicious - Futty with a bump and kick at the ball on a Vancouver player as he dribbled away from the goal outside the Timber's box. Regardless, Danso was sent off to the locker room and the Timbers would be forced to play a man down for the last 8 minutes of the match.
"The calls weren't going our way tonight." said Pore. "But we hung in there and were able to get a result."
After some key substitutions by Coach Wilkinson, the Timbers began to turn the game around. Scot Thompson, Rodrigo Lopez, Doug DeMartin, and Steve Purdy would make key contribution off the bench in the 2nd half, helping to settle down Portland's offense as well as slow down the Vancouver attack.
"Maybe the experience of Scot helped us settle down a little bit, his distribution was very good." said Coach Wilkinson. "Bringing in Doug DeMartin was tremendous and added a lot of movement and we were able to keep the ball for longer periods and not become predictable."
The Timbers would valiantly fight back. With their intensity level rising and their pressure becoming increasingly relentless, the Timbers owned the final 30 minutes of the game. More patient play and better control of possession on offense would lead to a series of threatening opportunities, many leading to shots and near goals. One big play, a 72nd minute breakaway run by DeMartin from a nice chip pass by forward George Josten, would end as DeMartin was tripped and tugged from behind, his off-balance shot saved by a charging Jay Nolly.
Then it happened. 86th minute. Midfielder James Marcelin launches a high arching ball across the field towards a small cluster of players in the Whitecap's box. The players look up to the sky, jostling for position as the ball makes its descent. Ryan Pore makes his move, flying over the shoulders of the Vancouver defenders, and crushing the ball with a snap of his head. A rocket of a shot, the ball soars past Nolly for a goal. Game winner. Pore runs and leaps into the stands. The team storms in celebration. PGE Park goes nuts.
Pore has now scored 6 goals in 4 games. Currently, he leads the league in goals scored as well as total points with 11. Out of the Timbers 7 goals this season, Pore has been involved in all of them. I'd say it's fair to ask, is there anybody playing better soccer in the USSF right now?
The Timbers remain undefeated on the year (3-0-1) and are gradually finding their chemistry as things continue to come together on the field. Portland displayed some of the traits that make them a championship contending club - determination, talent, unselfishness, and most importantly depth. In a grueling 30 game season, depth is major advantage and should only be a benefit as time wears on.
"We've gone with some players that have been tremendous for us." said Coach Wilkinson. "And now there's a little bit more pressure on those (guys) from the players that have come in and played well."
Four subs played over 20 minutes for the Timbers and by the end of the match you could see their depth paying dividends, as the Whitecaps seemed unable to match Portland's energy level. A gutsy and tough performance against the team that knocked the Timbers out of the playoffs last year and a game that should be remembered for a long time. Despite things not going their way, Portland was able to fight through adversity and still find a way to pull out the victory.
"Overall, you look at the big picture, it's 3 points against one of the better teams in the league and we'll take the 3 points." said Keel. "Did we play our best soccer? No, I don't think so. I think anyone will tell you that. But it's early in the season and in a positive way, we're getting results, but not playing our best soccer, so its something to build on looking forward."
"The work ethic was good tonight, the mentality. I don't think we were as clinical as we could have been." said Coach Wilkinson. "We could have been a lot better in possession, we should have created more chances, and should have gotten more numbers forward. But in saying that, the way we came back and the way we won the game was tremendous, so I'll take my hat off to the boys."
- Full Box Score -
* Photo provided by Alison Andres @ The Timber Mill
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