2010 Mar 11 2010 Mar 11
Preseason:
Seattle Sounders FC 0 - 1 Portland Timbers
Qwwest Field, Seattle, WA
Goals:
44' POR: OJ Obatola (George Josten)
Seattle: Kasey Keller; Leo Gonzalez (Tyson Wahl 80'), Tyrone Marshall (Jeff Parke 46'), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Brad Evans; Steve Zakuani (Patrick Ianni 66'), Peter Vagenas (Stephen King 74'), Osvaldo Alonso, Kevin Souter (David Estrada 60'); Freddie Ljungberg (Roger Levesque 83'), Fredy Montero.
Portland: Steve Cronin; Quavas Kirk (Scot Thompson 73'), Mamadou Danso, Ross Smith, Ian Joy, Stephen Keel; Ryan Pore, James Marcelin (Derek Gaudet 89'), Rodrigo Lopez (Alex Nimo 54'); George Josten (Josh Cameron 87'), OJ Obatola (Doug DeMartin 61').
Match report from Ron Stickney:
The visiting Portland Timbers (USSF D2) capitalized on their only decent chance, beating the Seattle Sounders FC in a preseason match 1-0. For Seattle, that is two consecutive matches against D2 sides without a goal. Seattle forced 9 saves on 13 shots, but none of the shots were good enough to beat Portland goalkeeper Steve Cronin. Portland's goal came from trialist OJ Obatola.
The first 15 minutes was rather eventless, with Obatola taking the only shot all the way from the edge of the center circle.
Finally, at 15' Seattle had a good chance when Freddie Ljungberg was found open in the middle to set up an attack that led to a shot from the left by Steve Zakuani, cleared at the far post by a defender. Then when Ljungberg was tripped at the 18 two minutes later his free kick came closest to a goal for the Sounders, but Cronin leaped to tip it away from the top near corner.
On the half hour George Josten nearly got his head on a long Portland free kick served to the far post, but the ball sailed harmlessly past goal.
At 35' for Seattle Ljungberg did well to hold the ball and spin to serve Fredy Montero with a short pass forward into the area, but Cronin was there to stuff the shot.
44' POR: Obatola (Josten). It was trouble at right back for Seattle when Tyrone Marshall missed a tackle and Josten went by with an open path to goal. He got close, drawing Kasey Keller to the near post, then centered the ball between two defenders for Obatola to poke home. 1-0 Portland.
This being a preseason match, there were plenty of substitutes and first in, at intermission, were Roger Levesque for Ljungberg and Jeff Parke for Marshall. Levesque soon had a shot from a deflected corner kick, but it went right to Cronin's bread basket. At 66' Montero tried from 25 yards and forced a save. At 71' Parke rose to head a long free kick on goal, and Cronin easily saved. At 78' Brad Evans was free on the right, but his unpressured cross was too far in front of Montero. A minute later Montero shot from David Estrada's feed, but it was another easy save for Cronin.
It should have been 2-0 for Portland when Josten beat the offside trap on the left and got by Keller to look at an open net, but he wasted the gift by bouncing his shot off the far post.
Seattle had two chances at the end. At 88' Montero's free kick was nicely shot at the top near corner, but Cronin made a fine save. Patrick Ianni had the last chance, heading on goal from a throw-in play, but Cronin easily saved to earn his shutout.
Statistics:
SEA POR
Shots: 13 5
Saves: 0 9
Corners: 6 1
Fouls: 7 10
Offsides: 1 5
Misconduct:
70' POR: Marcelin cautioned for sandwiching Evans
Referees: Elias Bazakos; Jeff Hosking, Mike Rottersman; Josh Wilkens
