PORTLAND, Ore. - Bryan Jordan’s goal in the 46th minute gave the Portland Timbers a 1-0 victory against Mexican side Club Necaxa Elite in exhibition play in front of 7,761 Wednesday at PGE Park. Jordan’s goal, the first of his professional career, gave the Timbers their second home victory of the season.
Wednesday’s match was the final stop of a five-game U.S. tour for Club Necaxa Elite and marked the first international exhibition match against a Latin American side since 2001. The match against Club Necaxa was the first of two international exhibition matches scheduled this season - the Timbers host Italian superpower A.C. Milan’s U-21 team on June 19.
Jordan, an Oregon State University product, delivered the match’s lone goal early in the second half. He capped a 40-yard run through the center of the pitch with a hard shot to the far post past Necaxa goalkeeper Joel Barba. Jordan, making his first professional start, tallied on his first shot as a Timber.
Necaxa had their best chance to equalize in the 58th minute when a Portland turnover produced a 3-on-1 counterattacking opportunity. Timbers’ goalkeeper Josh Wicks quickly rushed to the top of the penalty area to challenge Necaxa forward Hector Quintanar. The point-blank shot was denied by Wicks as he recorded his first clean sheet of the season.
Wicks stopped several Necaxa scoring opportunities, recording four saves in the match.
Portland had a pair of chances to double the margin of victory in the final ten minutes of action as forward David Hague fired a shot off the crossbar in the 84th minute. Forward Jaime Ambriz’s strong effort from just inside the area was speared by Necaxa back-up goalkeeper Pablo Gonzalez in the 87th.
Portland hosts USL First Division rival, the Seattle Sounders on Friday in a rematch of last Saturday’s contest in Seattle, a contest the Sounders won 1-0. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m., the match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel.
NOTES: Defender Justin Thompson, signed by the Timbers on April 24, started in his first appearance for the team. Timber midfielders Tom Poltl, Kiki Lara and Lawrence Olum as well as forwards David Hague and Jaime Ambriz all made their first starts of the season.Lineups:
POR: GK Wicks, D J. Thompson, D Knowles (Meissner, 59), D Higgins (Morrison, 59), D Marcum (Griffin 80), M Poltl, M Lara, M Olum, M Jordan (Kreamalmeyer, 88), F Hague, F Ambriz (Harrington, 88).
NEC: GK Barba (Gonzalez, 68), D Garcia, D Freyfeld, D Loera, M Castillo (Alcaraz, 79), M Ybarra, M Rivera (Camacho, 60), M Gonzalez (De La Torre, 45), M Bravo, F Rosas, F Quintanar.
Portland hosts USLSeattle7 p.m.
