TUKWILA, Wash. – The Portland Timbers kept their unbeaten preseason record intact on Friday night, battling to a 1-1 draw with I-5 rivals Vancouver Whitecaps FC at the Starfire Sports complex in Day 2 of the Cascadia Summit.
A pair of defensive oddities — a mishandled save and an own-goal — gifted each side tallies in the first half of a match that was as wide open as it was physically bruising.
The Timbers eked out the early lead in the fifth minute through midfielder Ryan Pore, though the D-2 holdover was the recipient of a fortunate play.
Trialist Brian Umony — the only player in the Timbers' starting 11 without a contract — drove a low shot from the top right corner of the 18-yard box that 'keeper Jay Nolly could only parry onto the post. The ball spun off the woodwork and into the path of Pore, who finished from barely a yard out.
The 'Caps responded in the 36th minute after Atiba Harris served a pass to the left flank to Long Tan, who shot from 25 yards out. The effort forced a good save from Portland 'keeper Adin Brown as he moved left, but teammate David Horst was ill-positioned and knocked the ball into his own net.
Vancouver enjoyed the better chances as the game settled, and Terry Dunfield should have put them ahead in the 66th minute after Wes Knight broke free on the right and served a looping pass to Russell Teibert. The substitute knocked the ball sideways to Dunfield, but his first-time shot from the PK spot sailed high over the bar.
Just before halftime, Tan headed Harris' cross just wide of the far post. Then, midway through the second period, John Thorrington's free kick was easily handled by Brown, who also pawed away Harris' long-range effort minutes later.
Portland's looks at goal, however, were scant despite moving the ball well throughout. Eddie Johnson's low shot in the 69th minute was easily handled by Joe Cannon, who had entered the game just minutes prior. Cannon then saved the tie in stoppage time by forcing away substitute Rodrigo Lopez's climbing shot from 20 yards out.
The Timbers started mostly a B-team featuring five players from last year's D-2 roster. The Whitecaps, however, used their first outing of the Cascadia Summit to run out what looked like a projected starting 11. US international Jay DeMerit started his first match since being named Whitecaps captain on Wednesday.
Portland wrap up their preseason campaign against San Jose on March 12.
Vancouver close out the three-game preseason round-robin against Cascadia Summit hosts Seattle on Sunday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 pm ET and will be streamed live at soundersfc.com.
Scoring Summary:
POR - Ryan Pore 5'
VAN - David Horst (own goal) 36'
Discipline Summary:
POR - Adam Moffat (caution) 21'
POR - Mamadou Danso (caution) 44'
VAN - Blake Wagner (caution) 48'
VAN - Alain Rochat (caution) 53'
POR - James Marcelin (caution) 57'
Lineups:
Portland Timbers: Adin Brown, Freddie Braun, Mamadou Danso, David Horst, Chris Taylor, Ryan Pore, Adam Moffat (Rodrigo Lopez 82'), James Marcelin, Kalif Alhassan (Bim Ogunyemi 90'), Eddie Johnson (Spencer Thompson 73'), Brian Umony.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Jay Nolly (Joe Cannon 63'), Jonathan Leathers, Jay DeMerit, Greg Janicki, Alain Rochat (Gershon Koffie 90'), Wes Knight, John Thorrington (Alexandre Morfaw 84'), Terry Dunfield (Kevin Harmse 77'), Blake Wagner (Russell Teibert 63'), Atiba Harris (Camilo Sanvezzo 77'), Long Tan (Omar Salgado 84').
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Referee's Assistants: Jeff Hosking, Kevin Duliba
4th Official: Dave Gantar
Time of Game: 1:50
Weather: 40 degrees and partly cloudy
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