PORTLAND, Ore. – Forward Bryan Jordan tallied one goal and set up the game-tying goal late in the match as the Portland Timbers rallied back to draw the Seattle Sounders 2-2 in front of 5,722 at PGE Park Friday night. Midfielder Andrew Gregor delivered the equalizer for the Timbers (1-1-1, 4pts) in the 87th minute with a penalty kick.
With the draw, the Timbers and Sounders (1-2-2, 5pts) are tied for the lead in the chase for the 2007 Cascadia Cup. The Timbers have an early season record of 1-0-1 at PGE Park this season.
Jordan created both scoring chances for the Timbers in the second half. Jordan thought he had netted his first regular-season goal, but his well placed shot was waived due to a handball call in the box. The Oregon State University product would eventually put the Timbers on the board in the 78th minute finishing a deflected ball in the box.
Late in the match, Jordan received the ball just inside the box and was taken down by Sounder defender Adam West setting up the penalty kick. Gregor, who missed two penalty kicks in the match against Puerto Rico on April 21, sent a low shot inside the right post past Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander.
Midfielder Sabastien Le Toux and forward Roger Levesque teamed up for both Seattle goals. In the 7th minute, Levesque set up Le Toux with a ball over the top. Le Toux chipped a shot over the head of Timbers’ goalkeeper Josh Wicks for a 1-0 lead.
Levesque then doubled the Sounders lead in the 78th minute on a ball served by Le Toux.
Friday’s match was the first of four matches for the Timbers in the 2007 Cascadia Cup. The 2-2 draw gave each team a point in the Cascadia Cup standings. The Cascadia Cup is a three-team derby between the Timbers, Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps honoring the strong Northwest rivalries between each side.
The Timbers play their third match in five days on Sunday at PGE Park against the Rochester Raging Rhinos. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
Lineups:
POR – GK Wicks, D Morrison, D S. Thompson, D Knowles, D Griffin, M Dombrowski (Poltl, 33), M Gregor, M Kreamalmeyer (Ambriz, 84), M Ready (Higgins, 54), F Jordan, F Bagley
POR – GK Wicks, D Morrison, D S. Thompson, D Knowles, D Griffin, M Dombrowski (Poltl, 33), M Gregor, M Kreamalmeyer (Ambriz, 84), M Ready (Higgins, 54), F Jordan, F Bagley
SEA – GK Eylander, D Merl, D Jackson, D Scott, D West, M Sakuda, M Alcaraz-Cuellar, M Gardner (Treschuck, 67), M Le Toux (Schmid, 85), F Levesque, F Knox (Howes, 64)