PORTLAND, Ore.
– Midfielder Ely Allen scored the game’s lone goal in the first half as the NSC Minnesota Stars claimed a 1-0 win over the Portland Timbers before 8,877 at PGE Park on Thursday. The match opened a home-and-home series between the two clubs, who faceoff again Saturday in Minnesota.
Allen’s goal in the 20th minute proved to be the difference and the Stars defense fought off a relentless attack from a 10-man Timbers side in the second half to secure the win. Defender Chris Clements recorded an assist and goalkeeper Joe Warren logged five saves to help Minnesota (5-7-2, 17pts) extend its unbeaten streak to four games.
Midfielder Ryan Pore attempted five shots, forward Takayuki Suzuki took two of his own and goalkeeper Steve Cronin made four saves, including one a penalty kick, for the Timbers, who were reduced to 10 men in the 52nd minute when midfielder James Marcelin was sent off with a red card. Portland (3-5-4, 13pts) has been held scoreless in its last three league matches.
Minnesota grabbed hold of the lead in the 20th minute on Allen’s first strike of the season. Clements sent a long pass from the left side into the box. Allen brought the ball down with his chest, and then fired a shot from a tight angle past an on-rushing Cronin and inside the near post from eight yards out for the score.
Held to four shots in the first half and down a goal, the Timbers turned on the offense in the second half. Portland attempted 11 of its 15 shots in the second period and produced several dangerous chances, forcing Warren to record all five of his saves in the half.
The turning point for the Timbers was when Marcelin was shown a straight red card following a hard foul on Stars forward Brian Cvilikas in the box. The foul set up a penalty kick for Minnesota and a chance to double its lead. Forward Melvin Tarley’s low drive at the left post was turned away on a diving effort by Cronin, and the goalkeeper was able to pounce on the rebound.
The 10-man Timbers put together a spirited performance over the final 38 minutes. Second-half sub Bright Dike earned a breakaway in the 62nd minute. In full stride, Dike pulled the trigger on a shot from just inside the area that landed right in the arms of Warren; it was the first of his two shots on the night.
In the 70th minute, the Timbers earned a dangerous free kick from just outside the area along the left side. Midfielder Ryan Pore, who had a shot off the left post in the first half, drilled a shot off the re-start right into the Minnesota wall. The ball deflected out to midfielder Tony McManus, who then lifted a shot from distance just over the mark.
Midfielder Alex Nimo, making his fifth start of the season, nearly found the qualizer for the home side in the 75th minute. From the top right corner of the box, Nimo aimed a hard-struck shot at the top far corner of the frame. Warren parried the ball over the crossbar at the last second to maintain the Stars' one-goal advantage.
The Timbers visit the Stars on Saturday at the National Sports Center; kickoff is set for 5 p.m. (Pacific). A live broadcast will be available on 95.5 The Game, with a live video webcast online at www.portlandtimbers.com/live.
Notes:
Marcelin will miss the Saturday's match in Minnesota due to a one-game, league-imposed suspention for his red card Thursday ... The last goal scored by the Timbers in league play was by Pore on June 6 vs. Carolina ... Forward Takayuki Suzuki made his second league start in the match against the Stars ... Defender Mamadou Danso made his first league start for the Timbers since suffering an injury May 19 against the Montreal Impact at PGE Park.
Lineups:
POR: GK Cronin, D Thompson, D Keel (Purdy, 75), D Danso, D Joy, M Nimo, M Marcelin, M Lopez (McManus, 45), M Pore, F Suzuki (Dike, 62), F Keita (DeMartin, 62)
MIN: GK Warren, D Friedland, D Arango, D Wasson, D Clements, DM Takada, M Altman, M Allen, M Menyongar, F Tarley, F Cvilikas (Bracallel, 63)
Scoring Summary:
MIN: Allen (Clements), 20
Timbers Player Ratings (as submitted by members of the Portland media; on scale of 1-10):
STARTERS
GK - Steve Cronin - 7, D – Scot Thompson - 7, D - Ian Joy – 6.5, D - Mamadou Danso – 6.5, D – Stephen Keel - 5, M - Alex Nimo - 7, M – Rodrigo Lopez – 5, M - James Marcelin - 6, M - Ryan Pore – 7, F - Mandjou Keita - 5.5, F – Takayuki Suzuki – 6.5
SUBS
D – Steve Purdy - 6, M - Tony McManus - 7, F - Doug DeMartin – 6.5, F - Bright Dike – 6.5
