It had been raining on and off all day, but by Saturday night it was dry (but slightly chilly) as the Timbers took to the field to start their 2005 season.

The conventional wisdom around town was that the team desperately needed another forward on their roster what with Alan Gordon down in LA and Dan Antoniuk still plying his trade indoors.

Despite a good pre-season (isn’t it always?!) it would be interesting to see how the team of new recruits, last years players and battle hardened veterans...and Benny...would fit together.

Bobby Howe started a midfield of Miranda, Poltl and Winters; Hugo and Aaron Heinzen on the flanks and Benedetti and Alvarez as forwards (although Scott played pretty deep all game).

Their opponents, the Toronto Lynx, were tough, fast and enthusiastic, but with a slight bull-in-a-china-shop air, and in the end a fine second half performance would net the Timbers 3 goals.

The Lynx came out strong, Fraser robbing Morrison in the 1st minute, forcing Wilkinson to cover and on 3' Dodds’ corner sailed over everyone, but Piette could only swing and miss.

With Byron Alvarez virtually playing up front alone (with Benedetti deep) Poltl’s curling pass on 7' was greeted with a flag, Alvarez being a step offside (a reoccurring theme all night).

On 15' the first sneak peek at goal for the Timbers as Poltl played the ball into Byron who turned across the face of the box, but his kick miscued as he spun around.

A minute later Gerba fed Hart, but when the ref should have blown when Thompson was tripped, the whistle stayed quiet and Hart was in towards goal. The Timbers managed to cover and when the resulting corner from the left was swung in Mayard got up only to head over the bar. Close!

A word now about the Timbers new signing Tom Poltl. He ended up as one of the best Timbers players tonight and impressed, both with his workrate and also with his passing (something that was lacking in pre-season). He’s a fun player to watch too and his bustle was well received. Anyway...

It was Poltl on 18' who set the next Timbers attack going when he fed Hugo Alcaraz on the right. Hugo’s cross was over everyone and Heinzen was at the far post to volley the high bouncing ball off a Lynx defender for the corner. The corner was cleared and Benedetti’s shot was wide on the right of goal.

It was the same combination on 23', but this time Heinzen headed wide from 10yds.

The Timbers best move so far on 26' when Alcaraz’ stabbed a reverse pass to Alvarez on the right, his ball was back into the path of Benedetti coming from deep, but Benny’s shot was wide. Nice move!

The Lynx were looking dangerous on the break using players with a lot of speed. On 28' Gerba to Hart to Mayard down the left, winning the corner off Lee Morrison. Arango met the corner, but his diving header was wide.

On 34' Edwin Miranda got Alvarez in on keeper Zagar, but was pulled back by the offside call.

Most of the Timbers attacks were coming down the right through Hugo Alcaraz, leaving Aaron Heinzen on the left looked a little underused at times.

Fraser forced Josh Saunders into a diving save (Josh obviously not affected by having to hold Elmo’s hand throughout the pre-game rituals!) on 36', but again the offside flag was up.

On 39' good defending by Wilkinson, hooking the ball away from Gerba as he was under pressure from the faster man and at the other end the first chance to run into the box by Heinzen. More please!

As the half ran out both sides had chances. Miranda almost getting his head on a Alcaraz cross in front of 107 and then after Gerba got in behind Wilkinson at the MAC end, Saunders had to race out of his box to clear, following up again to make sure the job was done.

Nil-Nil at half time and it looked like the worries about the Timbers lack of attack might be well founded.

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With Timbers GM Jim Taylor talking to new owner Abe Alizadeh on the sidelines (I could swear at one point Jim swung his arms around in an arc as if to say “And then when we turn this into a state of the art soccer specific stadium...” !!) the teams got ready for the next 45 minutes.

The Timbers came out with a nice attack. Wilkinson, Alcaraz-Cuellar, Thompson on the overlap bringing a foul from Mayard. Byron Alvarez headed wide from Hugo’s free kick though.

Morrison’s lapse in concentration almost let Fraser in on 47', but then the Timbers struck. Miranda robbed Piette, who was trying to be too clever, and after picking up the ball, Brian Winters swung a ball into the Toronto box. Toronto’s Dekker stuck out his foot and the ball was sent past a stranded Zagar. 1 – 0 Portland and a big sigh of relief all round PGE Park. The Timbers were off on their 2005 season.

Piette, who was either injured in the goal or was too embarrassed at giving up the ball that led to the goal, was substituted, replaced by Simpson on 52’.

On 57' danger for the Timbers as Simpson got Fraser in down the right free in space, but a slight slip allowed Heinzen to cover. Close!

On 58' Fraser again got away, but could only shoot into the arms of Josh Saunders from wide on the right.

On 59' the Timbers made it 2-0 with a great goal. Benedetti started the move with a good ball wide to Alcaraz who won a deep throw on the right. His throw to Byron was returned and Hugo’s great chip cross was met by Edwin Miranda who beat Zagar. 2-nil!

When your midfield is playing this well who cares about having another forward!!

With Miranda and Alcaraz combining to set up Alvarez’ shot into the side netting a minute later the Timbers were officially on fire...oh…and there goes a fire engine down 18th...told you!

On 64' Mayard’s slip allowed Poltl to pick up the ball and send in a fantastic chip cross towards Byron Alvarez. His header was tantalizingly over however.

Memo Azarte replaced Brian Winters on 68' and the Lynx put together some dangerous moves.

First on 70' Gerba blasted wide from 35 yds, then, after Scot Thompson slipped wide on the Timbers right, Fraser tried to set up Gerba, but he in turn slipped under pressure from Morrison.

Then Fraser, Simpson and Gerba combined on the right, Heinzen covering well to force Gerba to fire across the face of goal.

Henning replaced Thompson on 75', El Tabe replaced Dodds on 78' and on 79' the Timbers tried Route One (Ahhh...sweet memories from my youth!). Wilkinson’s long free kick from inside the Timbers half, a one-touch volley pass from Alcaraz and a header from Alvarez saved by Zagar.

The Timbers wrapped it up on 84'. The impressive Azarte (more minutes please!) found space 35yds out, (again) another chip pass into Byron and this time his header went past Zagar, off the right post and rolled across the line (with Heinzen following in for insurance). 3-nil Timbers and, apart from a yellow for Hugo for keeping an argument going with the ref and a yellow for the Lynx’s Munthali for a pull on Benny, that’s all she wrote.


A nice win. Great midfield performance, especially second half. If the little chip passes into Byron were practiced then hats off to Bobby and the team for a good plan and great execution! Poltl was great...raw, passionate and a tonic for the Timbers midfield. Hats off to the whole team anyhow. Roll on Minnesota on Friday!


[Teams]

Portland
J. Saunders, Morrison, Wilkinson, Thompson (Henning 75'), Alcaraz-Cuellar, Heinzen, Poltl, Miranda, Winters (Arzate 67'), Benedetti, Alvarez.

Toronto
Zagar, Munthali, Arango, Piette (Simpson 52'), Mayard, Mattacchione, Dodds (El Tabe 77'), Dekker, Fraser, Gerba, Hart.