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Anyone seeing the final few seconds of Saturday’s game at PGE Park would have thought that the 2 teams were being filmed as part of a movie and Shaun Saunders was playing a part usually reserved for the likes of Ray Winstone or Bob Hoskins. There was certainly an eruption as the officials were shepherded away from the teams on the pitch as a refereeing decision called against Shaun had allowed Virginia Beach to equalize late in the game. VB left with their only point of their 3 game west coast trip and the Timbers dropped 2 points, but remained unbeaten.
The first action of the night (if you discount the humorless PGE Park security looking stupid confiscating the shed's beach balls as they fell onto the pitch before the game!) was a great first minute pass from Edwin Miranda (the first of many this night) to Bryon Alvarez, but he was pushed wide under pressure. The Timbers kept up sustained early pressure. Miranda and Alcaraz almost getting Dizzy Antoniuk in on 2' and VB keeper Nelson slipping almost gifting a chance to Alvarez on 3'. On 5' it all paid off as a 1-2 between Alcaraz and Lines forced Tim O’Neill to handball and Byron Alvarez hit the penalty straight in the center of the goal past Nelson. For VB, Stephen Danbusky put Castellanos through on 8', he was called onside and shot over...danger for Portland. A minute later Castellanos’ fellow forward Nusum set him up for another chance, but his shot was deflected wide for a corner. Justin Thompson, up from the back, headed Caskey’s corner wide. Steve Shak put a wild shot over the bar on 11' after Fenger’s throw was cleared by the Timbers and on 12' Caskey got a yellow for a high challenge on Scot Thompson after Brian Winters had lost the ball in midfield. Early on it was all about Edwin Miranda for the Timbers. Whether it’s due to getting consistent playing time or getting written up in the O, the man was playing brilliantly. On 14' Antoniuk slipped at the last moment after Miranda, Lines and Alvarez combined to set up a chance. On 15' Thompson’s push on Castellanos set up a free kick for VB about 25 yds out, left of center. Caskey (who took almost all VB’s set pieces) was on target, but Saunders saved well. At the other (shed) end Brian Winters was looking for glory, but his shot was deflected and Alvarez almost pounced on the follow up. Justin Thompson got a yellow on 19' for clattering into Lines and on 21' Scot Thompson was again superb as he covered and blocked Nusum as he tried to get onto Caskey’s through ball. On 22' Nusum headed wide after Morelli had crossed after his own long throw was returned to him. A yellow should have been given on 25' after Hugo Alcaraz tricked himself out of a deep right back position only to get chopped down by Nusum. Brian Winters got a soft yellow for some sort of obstruction (??) on 26', which spurred him to play a great ball (forward!!) a minute later to Hugo, but his ball was to an offside Antoniuk. A rare slip by Scot Thompson on 32', but Heinzen and S. Saunders were there to hustle and cover Castellanos as he was in on goal. Castellanos shot straight at Saunders from 19yds on 32' and then danger on 42' as VB attacked through Fenger, then Caskey, who pulled the ball back for O’Neill, the ball was cleared and Saunders saved Knott’s shot. A great chance to make it 2-0 on 43' as Hugo Alcaraz got Byron in with a perfectly weighted pass, but Byron tried to chip Nelson and the keeper made an easy catch. Miranda shot wide from 19yds on 44' and after clearing a VB corner on 45' O’Neill’s shot dipped and shaved the crossbar!! VB pressed in injury-time with Shak and Fenger having shots blocked and then Caskey shooting into the side netting from about 10yds just before the whistle! Close! -------------------- 1-0 at half-time -------------------- With the wind picking up, the second half started in blustery conditions and VB started where they left off, Justin Thompson heading Caskey’s corner into the side netting at the far post on 47'. Scot Thompson had to rob O’Neill on 48' and Miranda set up Alvarez on 49', but his volley off of a bouncing ball from just inside the box was wide. Then a fantastic goal for the Timbers. Alvarez to Shaun Sannders on the overlap down the right. His pass was perfect into the incoming Lines on the left and he put it past Nelson to make it 2-0. A great first goal in the green and white from Aaran and the yellow was a small price to pay for getting to remove his shirt in celebration!! Where it was Miranda in the first, it was Shaun Saunders who impressed early in the second. A beauty of a long ball on 52', but Byron Alvarez just took it too far and ran out of space. On 58' I have the cryptic note "Wilco DEALS with Fenger", and I’m sure I can guess what that means. A great ball with the outside of the foot from Hugo to Alvarez on 59' the move leading to a free kick 18yds out on the right side of the VB box. Then on 60' VB hit back. O’Neill was given far too much room to run down the left and his cross was headed past Saunders by Castellanos. 2-1 A minute later with Wilkinson off the field getting treatment, Nusum headed Morelli’s long throw over from 8yds. Another call for a penalty on 63' as Alvarez was bundled over in the box. Denied! (Galling considering what transpired later). Bennett replaced Nusum on 64' and injected some more life into the VB attack, but his first shot was a wild one into 107. With certain Timbers players looking shadows of their first half selves (Miranda for example) VB began to press. Josh Saunders had to rush out to claim on the floor on 69' after Caskey tried to put Bennett in and on 76' O’Neill volleyed over after Thompson had given the ball away. Nolz replaced Fenger on 76' and with VB looking the more impressive team at this point, Bobby Howe replaced Dizzy with Fadi and Alvarez with Poltl. On 82' as Caskey ran into the box the ref awarded a penalty against Shaun Saunders, for what, I have no idea. It didn’t even seem to be worth an obstruction call. It has to be said though that some v. sloppy Timbers defending led up to the penalty and as Caskey stop-started his kick even the saint-like Josh Saunders couldn’t keep the Timbers on top. 2-2 A large announced crowd of 7,048 then saw VB sub Amani-Dove gift the ball to Fadi and his shot was only inches wide from 19yds. Poltl was his usual bundle of energy, winning a couple of corners as time slipped away, Nolz shot over after a cleared corner on 90' and then in injury time Fadi Afash almost made the miraculous seem commonplace as his overhead kick from Hugo Alcaraz’ cross sailed just over. Injury time ran out and as the ref blew for a 2-2 draw it was only left for S. Saunders to show his frustration and the crowd to jeer at the officials as they left the pitch. The positives in this game have to be Edwin Miranda in the first half and Aaran Lines’ goal and performance in general. The negatives are more important, a general fading in the second half (surely a 2 week break couldn’t have affected fitness) and some sloppy defending. Both Heinzen and Antoniuk looked out of sorts and even Byron Alvarez wasn’t having his best game. Oh well. Roll on the East Coast road-trip! [Teams] Portland J. Saunders, S. Saunders, Wilkinson, Thompson, Heinzen, Alcaraz-Cuellar, Lines, Miranda, Winters, Antoniuk (Afash 80'), Alvarez (Poltl 80'). Virginia Beach Nelson, Danbusky, Knott, Morelli, Thompson, Caskey, O'Neil (Myers 90'), Fenger (Nolz 78'), Shak, Nusum (Bennett 64'), Castellanos (Ukah 86') |