Photo Credit: Oklahoma City Energy FC
Portland Timbers 2 1-Seattle Sounders FC 2 0
Eryk Williamson’s stoppage time goal, Saturday, earns Portland Timbers 2 (5-3-2, 17pts) a 1-0 win over Cascadia rival Seattle Sounders FC 2 (2-6-1, 7pts).
The victory was only the second all time for T2, who have struggled to earn results against their rival. Seattle has won the other 10 contests between the two sides.
T2 started the match strong. In the 9th minute, right back Jimmy Mulligan tested S2 goalkeeper Calle Brown with a volleyed shot.
Two minutes later, T2 thought they had found the go-ahead goal, when forward Foster Langsdorf headed the ball into the back of the net off a Williamson free kick form a wide area. Langsdorf was offside and the goal was not allowed.
Brown was called into action again, in the 24th minute, making a diving save on a long-range effort from midfielder Renzo Zambrano.
The remainder of the half was open, though Seattle found more opportunities. The best chance came in the 34th minute. Midfielder Marlon Vargas had a shot from just inside the 18-yard-box, but the 17-year-old couldn’t put the effort on frame.
Portland was the far more dangerous side in the second half, with midfielder Marvin Loria looking dangerous in the hole beneath Langsdorf.
In the 48th minute, Loria picked up the ball in the center of the pitch and dribbled past a handful of S2 defenders, only to be chopped down from behind in the 18-yard-box. Shockingly, no penalty was called.
Seattle lucked out again six minutes later, when Langsdorf was pulled down in the box after being played in behind by Zambrano. Again, no penalty was given.
Opportunities were limited as T2 searched for a goal. In the 64th minute, Portland earned a free kick in a dangerous area. Center back Bill Tuiloma, on loan from the first team, took to kick from 25 yards out but was unable to get enough dip on the ball and put it over the crossbar.
Loria had a golden opportunity in the 84th minute, after winger Victor Arboleda picked him out with a cross at the back post. The Costa Rican was unable to put his left footed volley on frame.
The game winning goal for T2 would come nearly two minutes into stoppage time. A searching ball forward from T2 goalkeeper Alex Mangels found Arboldea, who headed the ball past an S2 defender, before crossing the ball. Williamson was waiting at the top of the 6-yard-box and tapped the ball in on the volley.
Williamson’s goal, his first for T2, was the cherry on top of yet another good performance sundae, the kind he’s been serving up all season.
T2 return to Providence Park on Friday, May 18 to face Los Angeles Galaxy II.
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