Timbers win game 1-0, but lose series to Whitecaps (original) (raw)

View full sizeBrent Wojahn/The OregonianThe Portland Timbers say one last goodbye to their fans at Merlo Field Sunday night.

The Portland Timbers are excited about what will happen next season, but unfortunately for them, the transition to 2011 started much sooner than they would have preferred.

The Timbers' 2010 season came to an end Sunday after they lost to Vancouver in the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Timbers defeated the Whitecaps 1-0 in front of a sellout crowd of 4,884 at Merlo Field, but winning the game didn't result in winning the series.

The two-game series of aggregate goals means the team with the most goals at the end of the series advances to the semifinals. The Whitecaps, by virtue of their 2-0 win against Portland on Thursday in Vancouver, won the series by a 2-1 aggregate margin. The Whitecaps will play Puerto Rico in the semifinals.

"It's frustrating," goalkeeper Steve Cronin said.

So, once again, the Timbers were eliminated by one of their arch-rivals, a rival that they will see again when the two teams join Major League Soccer in the 2011.

"We knew it was going to be tough," defender Ian Joy said. "It was going to be tough to come back after putting ourselves in that hole."

The task for the Timbers was difficult after the disastrous result in Vancouver Thursday. The Timbers needed to win by at least three goals to win the series outright or at least possess a two goal margin at the end of Sunday's game to send the series into overtime.

With the Whitecaps packing in their already tight defense, the Timbers saw few scoring opportunities and when they did get a good look at the net, they didn't take advantage, particularly in the first half. The Timbers were sharper and scored in the second half on a goal by James Marcelin in the 49th minute.

"We had a bounce to our step after the goal," Cronin said. "I thought we were going to get the second one."

They didn't and one goal wasn't enough.

"We came out and kind of dictated the tempo and did what we wanted to do a lot. Give Vancouver credit, they defended their butts off," Joy said. "They weren't really looking to go forward, but they didn't really have to. We were able to get that goal in the second half and it gave us some momentum, but unfortunately, we weren't able to get the second one."

The Timbers stuck with their game plan despite the overly aggressive and physical play by the Whitecaps. The Whitecaps got away with that strategy after referee Fotis Bazakos failed to gain control of play early in the game. Bazakos called the Whitecaps for 22 fouls (Portland had 12) in the game, but his first yellow card on the Whitecaps occurred in the 72nd minute of play, long after the rough play had been established.

"I didn't think the ref did a good job handling it, to be honest," midfielder Ryan Pore said. "But anytime you play Vancouver, especially in a playoff game, it's gonna be physical."

With Bazakos not taking control of the game, the Whitecaps started employing every trick in the soccer manual to burn time off the clock. Whether it was players falling and remaining on the ground with an injury for long periods of time, two players doing a late-minute switch at taking a corner kick or grabbing the ball and throwing it away from a Portland player on a Timbers' throw-in, the Whitecaps tried to slow the game down.

"It would be nice to have a more experienced referee. We were trying to create rhythm and dictate the tempo of the game and there a few players who spent a little too much time on the ground," Portland coach Gavin Wilkinson said. "In a game where there is going to be a lot of tension, when there's gonna be a little bit more of a spirited contest...I think the referee lost control of the game."

The Timbers came out with an energy that was lacking Thursday. Even with the rugged play, Portland was able to move the ball crisply on offense that led to scoring chances at times.

The Timbers' best chance occurred in the eighth minute. Steve Purdy advanced up the right side and sent a cross directly inside the 18-yard box in the area where Doug DeMartin was standing. DeMartin's header rolled just wide of the far post. DeMartin a couple of other chances with headers later in the half, but those were too soft and easily handled by Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly.

"We knew we were going to get chances and I knew I was going to get some (chances). It's just about taking advantage of those, but I wasn't able to do so," DeMartin said. "(The passes) were a little high and a little behind me. So it's kind of more of a straight up jump, which is tough to get power on them and snap them down. I still expect to do better with them."

The Timbers outshot the Whitecaps 15-5 in the game, but the combination of the Vancouver defense and goalkeeper Jay Nolly denied the Timbers.

"They've got a very solid defense. It's very hard to break that four down," Joy said. "And when they have a defensive midfielder back there as well, it makes it even harder."

Nolly made just five saves in the game, but Wilkinson said he was the key to the Whitecaps' allowing just one goal and winning the series.

"Jay Nolly was their best player by far," Wilkinson said. "He came up with a couple of big, big saves and he showed the intensity and desire around the box that maybe we were missing the other night."

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Still, when Marcelin scored on a header in the 49th minute, the Timbers knew they needed just one more goal -- and hold Vancouver scoreless -- to extend the game.

"They were ripe for the taking. We needed another goal," Wilkinson said. "I honestly felt like we were gonna get it, but it adds to the disappointment."

-- Geoffrey C. Arnold

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