TUCSON, Ariz. – A second-half goal from trialist defender Mikael Silvestre combined with the club’s shutout performance led the Portland Timbers to a 1-0 win against Seattle Sounders FC on Tuesday in a preseason match played at the Kino Sports Complex.
Playing their third match of the preseason, the Timbers’ first group played 60-plus minutes against Sounders FC (0-1-0 preseason), and Silvestre, making his second preseason start, was able to find the game’s lone goal just after the hour mark. Portland (2-1-0 preseason) limited Seattle’s shot opportunities throughout the match, with goalkeepers Milos Kocic and Jake Gleeson combining for one save in the club’s first shutout of the 2013 preseason.
WATCH: Porter & team talk about the win
After several close chances in the first half, the Timbers were able to break the deadlock in the 61st minute. A corner kick from the right side created a flurry of activity in the penalty area. The Timbers had one shot saved by Seattle goalkeeper Josh Ford and another headed off the line by defender DeAndre Yedlin before Silvestre collected a rebound and fired home from close range.
The Timbers forced Sounders FC goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann into a series of saves in the first half, including a hard attempt by midfielder Diego Valeri inside the box, set up by defender Ryan Miller just before halftime.
Portland’s momentum carried over into the second half, and forward Bright Dike nearly struck in the 50th minute. The recipient of a chipped pass into the box, Dike hit a low shot that was just saved by the outstretched foot of Ford, who played the entire second half for Seattle. Forward Danny Mwanga had a chance to double the Timbers’ lead in the 69th minute, but his leaping shot crashed off the crossbar.
Gleeson came up with a timely save just before the final whistle, handling a bouncing header by Sounders FC’s Jennings Rex from inside the box. In the first half, Kocic punched away a series of free kicks around Portland’s penalty area around the 30th minute.
The Timbers will play their fourth and final preseason match during their 12-day camp in Tucson, Ariz., on Friday against FC Tucson, the host club of the Desert Friendlies, at 10 a.m. (Pacific) at the Kino Sports Complex. The Timbers will return to Portland following Friday’s match.
Scoring Summary:
POR: Silvestre, 61
Lineups:
POR: GK Milos Kocic (Jake Gleeson 46), D Ryan Miller (Dylan Tucker-Gangnes^, 62), D Andrew Jean-Baptiste (Futty Danso, 62), D Mikael Silvestre* (Hanyer Mosquera, 62), D Michael Harrington (Chris Taylor, 62), M Diego Chara (Mobi Fehr, 62), M Diego Valeri (Michael Nanchoff, 62), M Will Johnson (Eric Alexander, 62), F Kalif Alhassan (Sal Zizzo, 62), F Bright Dike (Danny Mwanga, 55), F Darlington Nagbe (Jose Valencia, 62)
SEA: GK Marcus Hahnemann (Josh Ford, 46), D Zach Scott (DeAndre Yedlin, 46), D Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Shavar Thomas, 46), D Djimi Traore (Leo Lelis, 46), D Leonardo Gonzalez (Dylan Remick^, 30), M Mauro Rosales (Rex Jennings, 46), M Servando Carrasco (Guy Essame, 46), M Lebogang Moloto (David Estrada, 68), M Steve Zakuani (Marc Burch, 46), F David Estrada (Travis Bowen, 46), F Sammy Ochoa (Babayele Sodade, 46)
Trialist/guest player
^ SuperDraft pick
** Supplemental Draft pick
Misconduct Summary:
SEA: Carrasco (Caution), 7
SEA: Moloto (Caution), 17
POR: Johnson, W. (Caution), 38
POR: Dike (Caution), 39
Notes:
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Midfielder Kalif Alhassan, forward Bright Dike and goalkeeper Milos Kocic each earned their first starts of the 2013 preseason for the Timbers on Tuesday against Seattle.
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Portland’s Donovan Ricketts and Ryan Johnson, who both started the club’s previous two preseason games, are away on national team duty with Jamaica for a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Mexico on Wednesday.
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The Timbers recorded their first shutout of the 2013 preseason on Tuesday and it was the ninth preseason shutout overall since joining MLS in 2011.
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Forward Bright Dike was injured as the result of a collision with goalkeeper Josh Ford and was removed from the game in favor of Danny Mwanga in the 55th minute.
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Tuesday’s game marked the second preseason meeting all-time between the Timbers and Sounders FC as MLS sides. The previous preseason meeting between the Cascadia rivals was March 4, 2011, with the Timbers earning a 2-0 win in Tukwila, Wash.
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Timbers goalkeeper Jake Gleeson, midfielder Mobi Fehr as well as 2013 SuperDraft pick Dylan Tucker-Gangnes saw their first preseason minutes as subs in the second half.
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The Timbers have had 27 total players see playing time through the club’s first three preseason matches.
- Of the 270 total preseason minutes played by the Timbers, the club has only trailed in a match for 26 of those minutes.
