ROCHESTER, N.Y.
- Luke Kreamalmeyer scored in the 60th minute and Scot Thompson added a second goal in the 69th minute as the Portland Timbers tied the Rochester Raging Rhinos 2-2 Saturday night at PAETEC Park.
The Timbers (5-4-4, 19pts), who had not managed a win or a draw against the Rhinos since joining the league in 2001, remain tied for second place in the USL First Division.
Kreamalmeyer, who scored his second goal in as many matches, leads the team with three goals this season. Thompson’s goal was his first of the season and his fifth since joining the Timbers in 2004.
The Rhinos (5-0-5, 20pts) went ahead 1-0 in the 37th minute after Greg Howes won a ball near midfield. Howes put the ball out to former Timber Aaran Lines, who sent a cross into the Timbers penalty area. The ball found forward Connally Edozien, who buried a header from six yards out past Portland keeper Josh Saunders.
Kreamalmeyer equalized in the 60th minute when he got on the end of a cross from Mamba Chisoni in the Rhinos penalty area. Kreamalmeyer dove in and deflected the shot from five yards out into the back of the net to knot the score at 1-1.
Thompson gave the Timbers the lead after heading home a cross in the 69th minute. Midfielder Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar sent a cross into the box and Thompson was there to head the ball home for the 2-1 advantage.
Rochester got the tying goal in the 89th minute when Matthew Delicate headed a cross from Frankie Sanfilippo into the net to earn the draw. Delicate, who converted his fourth strike of the season, also scored the game-winning goal against the Timbers at PGE Park on May 19.
The Timbers conclude the road trip on Sunday when they visit the Montreal Impact. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. (Pacific).
HEAD COACH CHRIS AGNELLO ON THE MATCH:
“Tonight’s game was great; the lads played a brilliant game. We were coming into this game tired and we even went behind a goal, but we showed that we can come back from a deficit, and that is going to make us a huge threat all season. I’m very proud of every single player. This may have been the first points the Timbers have gotten against Rochester, but it won’t be the last.”
“We have another game to get ready for now, and we’ll try and rest as best we can. The team is sore and worn out, but we’re still high on confidence right now and I think that will help us against Montreal. We’ll evaluate them tonight and see what’s best for us to do tactically tomorrow.”
NOTES:
Saturday’s match was only the second-ever Rhinos contest held at Rochester’s new PAETEC Park, which opened on June 3 … Forward Drew McAthy was kicked in the face and had to be hospitalized for X-rays and stitches … Timbers assistant coach Gavin Wilkinson made his second appearance of the season as a second-half substitute.
SCORING SUMMARY:
POR: Kreamalmeyer 60’ (Chisoni) Thompson 69’ (Alcaraz-Cuellar); ROC: Edozien 37’ (Lines), Delicate 89’ (Sanfilippo).
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
POR: Alvarez YC (39’).
LINEUPS:
PORTLAND (5-4-4) J. Saunders GK, J. Goodfellow D, M. Randolph D, S. Thompson D, S. Bullen, L. Morrison M, H. Alcaraz-Cuellar M, L. Kreamalmeyer M, M. Chisoni M (Poltl 71’), D. McAthy F (O. Bullen 45’), B. Alvarez F (Iniguez 61’)(Wilkinson 87’).
ROCHESTER (5-0-5) S. Vallow GK, K. Bertz D, J. Perry D, F. SanFillipo D, S. Palguta D, J. Ball M (Martinez 70’), T. Bonseu M, E. DaSilva M (Delicate 70’), A. Lines M (Ambersley 84’), C. Edozien F (Gbeke 70’), G. Howes F.
