Timbers earn big league win against Tampa Bay before epic battle on Wednesday (original) (raw)
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View full sizeKip Kesgard, community blogger. Steve Cronin had an excellent game in goal for the Timbers making several top notch saves, including this one. His defense also aided him all match, including an assist here by defender Ross Smith
I expect everyone looks at key dates on the schedule and gets geared up for certain matches, especially games against the team’s key rival. While rivalries are important, it’s easy to overlook matches leading up to that key meeting which often means trouble. The Portland Timbers won a key U. S. Open Cup match on June 22nd against Kitsap to set up a third round match between them and the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday, June 30th at PGE Park. However, the Timbers still had unfinished business in the USSF Division 2, as the Tampa Bay Rowdies FC were paying a visit to PGE Park on Sunday, June 27th.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies are one of the newest franchises in the USSF Division 2, playing in their very first season. The Rowdies came into the match with a 5 W, 4 L and 3 D record and 18 points, putting them just ahead of the Timbers in the USL Conference, so the Timbers couldn't overlook the importance of this match. This was especially true since the Timbers had been struggling at home in league games, with their last USSF D2 win in the Rose City being on April 29th.
GM and Coach Gavin Wilkinson played a younger lineup, resting key veterans for the Open Cup match, as he gave Bright Dike and Doug DeMartin the start at forward, resting Mandjou Keita, and starting Josh Cameron at defense in place of Ian Joy, who has been battling a sore foot. He also put Steven Keel, Taka Suzuki and Rodrigo Lopez on the bench, giving young midfielder Derek Gaudet a starting assignment for his third straight match. The team’s offense has been much more mobile and fluid with Dike and DeMartin up top, and Gaudet and Alex Nimo have provided a giant spark in the middle, so Wilkinson was hoping for another good run from them.
Kip Kesgard, community blogger. Taka Suzuki was a welcome substitute late in the match, using his excellent ball possession skills to generate chances for the Timbers and keep the ball away from the Rowdies players.
His hope paid dividends as the Timbers put on an offensive onslaught against the Rowdies, outshooting their opponents 21 to 8 for the game. The offense generated quality chances all match and kept the Rowdies defense on their heels, which was a huge positive. Unfortunately, the Timbers were having some bad luck in netting shots, as the teams ended the first half in a scoreless draw. You can credit Rowdies goalkeeper Daryl Sattler, who was up to the task in blocking some dangerous chances, but the Timbers also lacked some poise in the penalty box and unnecessarily rushed some shots.
The Rowdies also played a very physical style, and were aided in that approach as center official Daniel Radford allowed significant contact without many calls. The Timbers could count at least five or six fouls that happened close to the penalty box that weren’t called, but at the same time, they started to mirror the physicality of the Rowdies late in the first half and pushed the boundaries at points. The second half became a testy, chippy battle to see who could score first, and at the 73rd minute, it would be the team in all green that struck first. Substitute forward George Josten collected a poor clearance in the Timbers end, and found a charging Dike on his right with a great drop pass. Dike was soon one-on-one with Sattler, and he buried the ball in the lower right corner to give the Timbers a 1 to 0 lead.
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Unlike previous matches where the Timbers failed to hold leads, the Timbers took a different strategy late, as they held the ball for possession rather than just firing long clearance shots. Substitute Taka Suzuki was especially solid at gaining and keeping the ball for long stretches, helping the Timbers run out the clock and gain the much needed home win. While tempers flared at the final whistle between the teams, cooler heads prevailed and the Timbers were able to celebrate a wonderful result in front of their fans.
Kip Kesgard, community blogger. In this photo, Bright Dike had just received an assist from George Josten, and found himself one on one with Rowdies goalkeeper Daryl Sattler. Dike didn't miss the shot, giving the Timbers a 1 to 0 lead that they went on to hold to earn a much deserved home win.
You can read more about the match at Dropping Timber, the Offside, the Timber Mill and the Oregonian, and the Rowdies website. We can all turn our attention to Wednesday, when the neon clad ones from the north come for a visit. Tickets are still available at the Timbers box office, but they will sell quickly, so don't miss your chance to see one of the classic soccer rivalries unfold at PGE Park.
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