2005 Jul 12

Portland Timbers 2-0 Seattle Sounders
PGE Park, Portland Oregon

Portland: Saunders, Thompson, Poltl, Alcaraz-Cuellar, Miranda, Winters, Antoniuk, Alcaraz, Lines, Morrison, Garrett Marcum

Seattle: Burpo, Sleeth (Melo 62), Edwards, Scott, Graham (Wiesner 90), Somoza (Sagare 57), Whitfield (Chacon 74), Klaas, Gregor, Levesque, Sakuda

Goals:
P  Alcaraz-Cuellar 15
P  Antoniuk (PK) 59
 


Match report from Seattle Sounders

 

The Seattle Sounders fell 2-0 tonight to the Portland Timbers at PGE Park in Portland.  With the win the Timbers advance to the fourth round of the Lama Hunt U.S. Open Cup to host the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer 3 August at PGE Park.  Tonight’s match was a typical physical match between the two rivals as the fouls were 20-26, Seattle-Portland, respectively. 

 

In the first half of action Sounders goalkeeper Preston Burpo was put to the test as the Timbers hammered four shots forcing Burpo to make extravagant diving saves.  In the first three minutes of the match the Timbers were rewarded with two corner kicks resulting in Burpo coming out twice to punch the ball out to Sounders midfielders.

 

Burpo and the Sounders were challenged again in the 14th minute when Billy Sleeth was called for a foul on Timbers forward Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar 22 yards from the Sounders goal.  Alcaraz-Cuellar struck the ball just past the diving Burpo’s fingertips into the net for Portland's first goal.

 

The Sounders were also on the attack as the challenged Portland goalkeeper Josh Saunders three times in the first half.  In the 20th minute midfielder Ben Somoza rocketed a shot from the left corner of the penalty area, but Saunders was able to control it.

 

At 23 minutes Ryan Edwards challenged Saunders as he sent a 30-yard drive forcing Saunders to tip the shot just over the cross bar.

 

In the remaining seconds of  the first half Timbers forward Dan Antoniuk sent Burpo sliding across his line to slap out the bouncing shot.

 

In the 50th minute Taylor Graham made a darting run into the 6-yard box to receive a cross from Somoza.  Graham slammed a shot into the hand of Saunders.

 

On the counter attack Byron Alvarez broke away from the Sounders defense and passed the ball off the left midfielder Brian Winters who dribbled the ball to the end line and crossed it back to Alvarez who shot the ball one touch into the hands of Burpo.

 

At 55 minutes Somoza dribbled the ball through three Portland defenders and ripped a shot from just outside the top of the penalty area and hit the left post sending the ball across the face of the open goal and out of bounds.

 

In the 59th minute Seattle's Zach Scott was called for a foul inside the penalty area.  Antoniuk buried the penalty kick and extended Portland's lead to 2-0.

 

The Sounders had another opportunity to score in 66th minute when midfielder Andrew Gregor's free kick hit the right post and rolled over the endline.   

 

 Statistics:
         Portland    Seattle
Shots:     
Saves:    
Corners:    
Fouls:       26         20
Offsides:   

Misconduct:
Portland: 
Yellow:  Poltl, Edwin Miranda, Byron Alvarez (2)  Red:  Alvarez. 
Seattle:  Yellow:  Edwards, Gregor, Scott

Referees:

Attendance: