CARSON, Calif. — James Marcelin scored his second goal of the preseason and Jack Jewsbury struck for his first as the Portland Timbers defeated the Houston Dynamo 2-0 Sunday at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
The Timbers, who have shut out their last two opponents, have now outscored their opposition 6-1 in registering two wins and a draw over their first three games of the preseason.
“I think there were a lot of good positives to take away [from today],” said John Spencer, head coach of the Timbers. “Every game we’ve gotten a little bit better.”
After a scoreless first half, Jewsbury opened the scoring in the 63rd minute by getting on the receiving end of a nice delivery into the box from Ryan Kawulok from the right back position. Jewsbury was able to slip between two defenders and slot it past goalkeeper Erich Marscheider to give the Timbers the lead.
Marcelin extended the advantage to 2-0 in the 86th minute with a booming shot from 25 yards out that rattled the crossbar and narrowly crossed the line. Marcelin let loose his long-distance strike after going unchallenged following a good run of procession by the Timbers.
Jewsbury had an early chance to give the Timbers the lead in the 11th minute off a cross from the left side, but Jewsbury’s low shot was blocked away by Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall for a corner kick. Bright Dike picked up a loose ball in good position during the 31st minute, but again Hall was up for the task with the stop.
“At the end of the day, we are out here to get a good result, and I think everybody had the right mentality and right approach to the game,” Jewsbury said.
The Timbers return to their regular training schedule Monday at The Home Depot Center in Carson, beginning at 10 a.m. The club will wrap up its slate of games scheduled during its stay in Carson by taking on the Chicago Fire on Wednesday at The Home Depot Center at 11 a.m. (Pacific).
Scoring Summary:
POR: Jewsbury (Kawulok), 63
POR: Marcelin, 86
Lineups:
POR: Perkins, Palmer (Kawulok, 56), Brunner, Danso, Wallace (Chabala, 83), Alhassan (Nagbe, 46), Jewsbury (Balcazar, 65), Songo’o (Rincón, 73), Chara (Marcelin, 63), Alexander (Ibarra, 73), Dike (Perlaza, 73)
HOU: Hall (Marscheider, 46), Sarkodie (Hainault, 46), Cameron (Boswell, 46), Sturgis (Taylor, 46), Recio (Ashe, 46), Sato (Ownby, 46; Aseweh, 71), Moffat (Creavalle, 46; Camargo, 71), Watson (Soto, 46), Arreola (Clark, 46), Kandji (Roberts, 46), Bruin (Rolfe, 46; Weaver, 71).
Misconduct Summary:
None
Notes:
- After being held out of the first two games of the preseason as a precaution due to a minor ankle sprain, Darlington Nagbe made his debut as a 46th-minute sub Sunday and played the entire second half.
- Ryan Kawulok made his preseason match debut as a 55th-minute substitute for Lovel Palmer, who was removed after sustaining a right hamstring strain. Trialist Jose Balcazar also made his preseason debut by coming on for Jewsbury in the 63rd.
- For the first time this preseason, the Timbers did not make wholesale substitutions at the half. While 19 players saw minutes, goalkeeper Troy Perkins and defenders Eric Brunner and Futty Danso played the entire 90 minutes.
- The Timbers wore all black for the second time this preseason.
- The Timbers, who conceded their lone goal of the preseason late in their 4-1 win over the LA Galaxy on Tuesday, have not been scored upon over the last 189 minutes.
- The Timbers, who have six goals through their first three preseason games, didn’t score their sixth goal until the sixth game of the 2011 preseason schedule and scored seven goals total over seven preseason contests last year.
- Five different goal-scorers have accounted for Portland’s six strikes thus far (Futty Danso, Bright Dike, Jack Jewsbury, James Marcelin, Jorge Perlaza).
- Last preseason, the Timbers and Dynamo played under less-than-ideal circumstances in Casa Grande, Ariz., as a dust storm impeded play the entire game and eventually halted the scoreless match in the 80th minute.
- The Timbers will conclude their Southern California training stint Thursday and return to Portland.
Timbers Preseason Results:
Tuesday, Feb. 7 – Timbers defeat LA Galaxy 4-1 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. (Dike, Perlaza, Marcelin, Danso)
Friday, Feb. 10 – Timbers draw Montreal Impact 0-0 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Sunday, Feb. 12 – Timbers defeat Houston Dynamo 2-0 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. (Jewsbury, Marcelin)
Wednesday, Feb. 15 – Timbers vs. Chicago Fire at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.; 11 a.m. (Pacific)
Monday, Feb. 27 – Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes at JELD-WEN Field (tournament); 7:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Thursday, March 1 – Timbers vs. Chivas USA at JELD-WEN Field (tournament); 7:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Sunday, March 4 – Timbers vs. AIK (Sweden) at JELD-WEN Field (tournament); 5 p.m. (Pacific)
