REDMOND, Wash. – The Portland Timbers U-23s surrendered four second-half goals in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Crossfire in a Premier Development League match on Sunday evening at Redmond High School.
Despite taking a 1-0 lead into halftime, the Timbers failed to capitalize in the second frame. The loss extends Portland’s winless streak to five matches and officially eliminates the team from postseason qualification with one game remaining in the PDL Northwest Division regular season.
Midfielder Brent Richards opened the scoring for the Timbers U-23s in the eighth minute. Richards headed in a corner kick from midfielder Bim Ogunyemi to stake Portland to an early advantage, which it would hold for the remainder of the first half.
The goal was Richards’ team-leading seventh of the season while the assist was Ogunyemi’s first of the year. In the match, Portland (5-6-4, 19pts) held an 11-2 advantage on corner kicks and a 9-6 edge in shots on goal, but Washington converted four of its six shots for goals.
Washington forward Nathan Sackeyfio scored two goals (53rd and 68th minutes) and midfielder Vlad Voin (56th minute) and forward Murphy Campbell (88th minute) added the other goals for the Crossfire (3-7-4, 13pts).
The Timbers U-23s conclude the 2011 PDL season on July 22 against the North Sound SeaWolves at 7 p.m. at Goddard Memorial Stadium in Everett, Wash.
Portland Timbers U-23s (5-6-4, 19 points) at Washington Crossfire (3-7-4, 13 points)
July 17, 2011 – Redmond High School
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland 1 0 1
Washington 0 4 4
Scoring Summary
POR – Richards (Ogunyemi), 8
WAS – Sackeyfio (Knapp), 53
WAS – Voin (Campbell), 56
WAS – Sackeyfio (Voin), 68
WAS – Campbell, 88
Lineups
POR: GK Dodson (Rogers, 60), D Gonzalez (Bowen, 77), D Matte (Dorrego, 60), D Tucker-Ganges, D Kawulok, MF Morris (Hasson, 57), MF Richards, MF Ogunyemi, MF Esteves, F Abrego (Iwasaki, 57), F Byass
WAS: GK Herrick; D Mueller, D James, D Knapp, D Zogg (Harris, 71), MF Voin (Russell, 76), MF Nowland, MF McIntosh, MF Fishbaugher, F Sackeyfio (Becerril, 86), F Campbell
