Earnshaw heroics puts Whitecaps well on their way to defending Cascadia Cup
Photos by John & Hazel May
Captions by Graham Tooke, @chelskitooke
For the majority of the first half both sides pushed for the go ahead goal but only Vancouver could find the scoring touch.
12′ Gershon Koffie received a booking for a clumsy challenge early on. Had he walked away from the incident he may have kept out of the referees book.
15′ Waston, Koffie congratulate Nicolas Mezquida for scoring his first goal of the season. Bending a pin point set piece inside Kwarasey’s near post.
31′ Sam Adekugbe and Alvas Powell’s exciting battle down the wing took a nasty turn when the left back was sent tumbling over the advertising hoardings.
Nat Borchers looked in full control in the second half as Vancouver struggled to find space in behind the Timbers’ defense on their rare forays forward.
82′ For all the Timbers’ assaults down the right side their eventual equaliser came via the left. Steven Beitashour couldn’t stop Rodney Wallace’s cross into the box and despite Vancouver’s best efforts to clear their lines Adi fired home.
87′ Hurtado’s tireless work in the second half was rewarded with a rest on the bench. While Robert Earnshaw was sent on for his debut in search of a winner.
89′ Portland thought they struck a last minute winner when substitute Dairon Asprilla headed into the ground and onto the roof of the net when it looked easier to score.
89′ Ousted came up with a massive stop moments later when Adi tried to slot past the keeper.
90′ Pedro Morales chipped a pass down the middle that neither Ridgewell or Borchers dealt with, nor spotted the run in behind of Earnshaw, who delicately placed the ball over the sprawling Kwarasey for a last gasp derby winner. On his debut no less.
