PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers opened play in the 2015 Simple Invitational with a 1-0 loss against Cascadia-rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC in preseason play before 15,491 fans at Providence Park on Sunday night.
The Timbers (1-1-2 in preseason) made their first appearance of the 2015 preseason at Providence Park on Sunday. Despite the loss, Portland’s first of the preseason, the Timbers have conceded just two goals in 360 minutes of preseason action in preparation for their fifth MLS season.
Portland controlled the run of play in the opening 45 minutes, but Whitecaps FC tallied the game’s opening, and only, goal in the 31st minute as defender Pa Modou Kah connected on a header near the top of the goal box following a cross from midfielder Mauro Rosales. The Timbers outshot Vancouver 7-1 in the first half, as both midfielder Rodney Wallace and defender Alvas Powell were active in the attack. Powell saw back-to-back shots flash just high in the 16th and 17th minutes, while Wallace pulled a drive outside the right post in the 33rd minute.
The Timbers were forced to play the final 30 minutes of the match with 10 men after Wallace was sent off following a second yellow card in the 60th minute. Portland went down to nine men just before the start of second-half stoppage time as defender Liam Ridgewell was shown a second yellow card in the 90th minute.
Vancouver (3-2-1 in preseason) committed 24 fouls in the match, including 16 in the second half, while the teams combined for eight caution cards.
Down a man, the Timbers nearly found the equalizer as midfielder Dairon Asprilla unleashed a strong, right-footed effort from outside the penalty box in the 86th minute that forced Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted to parry the ball out for a corner kick. After the ensuing corner kick, defender Nat Borchers saw an off-balance attempt from the top of the goal box miss high.
Portland continues play in the 2015 Simple Invitational on Wednesday, Feb. 25, against the Chicago Fire at Providence Park; kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). The match will be streamed live on www.timbers.com. Norwegian club Stabæk squares off against Vancouver in Wednesday’s first match; kickoff is set for 5 p.m. (Pacific).
Notes:
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Sunday’s match between Portland and Vancouver marked the second game of the 2015 Simple Invitational. The Chicago Fire and Norwegian club Stabæk played to a scoreless draw in the opening match earlier in the day.
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The Simple Invitational, Portland’s annual preseason tournament, kicked off its fourth edition on Sunday. The round-robin style competition lasts until Feb. 28.
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Goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey, defender Nat Borchers and midfielder Dairon Asprilla all played their first matches at Providence Park as members of the Timbers on Sunday night.
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Including Sunday’s home preseason match, forward Fanendo Adi has appeared in all of Portland’s home games across all competitions since his club debut on May 17, 2014.
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Midfielder Rodney Wallace has never been issued a red card in 127 career MLS regular-season matches.
- Defender Liam Ridgewell has never been issued two yellow cards in a single match in 333 league games during his entire professional career.
Next Game
The Timbers continue preseason play in the 2015 Simple Invitational on Wednesday, Feb. 25, against the Chicago Fire at Providence Park; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). Wednesday’s match will be streamed live on www.timbers.com.
Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS Preseason)
Feb. 22, 2015 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1 0 1
Portland Timbers 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
VAN: Kah (Rosales), 31
Misconduct Summary:
VAN: Kah (Caution), 21
POR: Wallace (Caution), 30
POR: Ridgewell (Caution), 54
POR: Wallace (Ejection, Second Yellow), 60
VAN: Waston (Caution), 66
POR: Borchers (Caution), 80
VAN: Mezquida (Caution), 88
POR: Ridgewell (Ejection, Second Yellow), 90
Lineups & Stats:
POR: GK Adam Kwarasey, D Alvas Powell, D Nat Borchers, D Liam Ridgewell ©, D Jorge Villafaña, M Darlington Nagbe, M Diego Chara, M Ben Zemanski (Jewsbury, 26), M Rodney Wallace, F Gastón Fernández (Asprilla, 64), F Fanendo Adi (Urruti, 72)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Weber, D Jeanderson, D Paparatto, D O’Rourke, M Besler^, M Fochive, M Nanchoff, F Tshuma
TOTAL SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; FOULS: 19; OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 0
VAN: GK David Ousted, D Steven Beitashour, D Pa Modou Kah (Rodriguez, 66), D Kendall Waston, D Jordan Harvey, M Russell Teibert, M Matias Laba (Koffie, 75), M Pedro Morales (Mattocks, 75), M Mauro Rosales (Hurtado, 58), M Kekuta Manneh, F Octavio Rivero (Mezquida, 75)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Tornaghi, D Adekugbe, D Sampson, F Bustos, F Earnshaw
TOTAL SHOTS: 13; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; FOULS: 24; OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: 1
* Trialist/guest player; ^ 2015 MLS SuperDraft pick
Attendance: 15,491
Weather: Clear, 55 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
