Match 1: Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 Portland Timbers

By: Bob Kellett | April 25th, 2009

Bottom Line: Martin Nash scored on a full volley in the 63rd minute to lift the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-0 victory over the Portland Timbers in front of 5,102 at Swangard Stadium. After a scoreless first half in which both teams had a couple of good scoring chances, the game opened up in the second half. Ryan Pore and Johan Claesson both tested Vancouver (1-1-2) keeper Jay Nolly but Portland (0-1-0) failed to score in its season opener. The Timbers have lost 14 of 17 matches in Burnaby and are 4-5-0 in season openers since 2001.

Timbers Lineup
Cronin
Nishimura (Thompson 90) Knowles Keel (Danso 83) Hayes (Josten 90)
Savage (Nimo 69) Claesson McManus Pore
Keita Suzuki (McLaughlin 76)

Did you notice….

* Simply a world class goal from Martin Nash. Poor clearance from the Portland defense and Nash was able to bomb a full volley past Cronin who had no chance. He did the same thing last season. Nash is a baller. His brother should keep him around in 2011.

* Two players from last year’s club in the starting lineup. Change we can believe in. Yes we can.

* Claesson and McManus in the middle. That is a much better combination than Poltl and Higgins and Gregor and Lara and on and on. Claesson looks like class. His foot speed might not be there but he has excellent touch and can play a beautiful through ball and he has a shot.

* McManus doesn’t wear shin guards? Nutter

* The first half was all on the right side. It took me about 20 minutes to even figure out Pore was playing left mid. That might have been my unfamiliarity with the squad but it also wasn’t a very balanced half. Better use of the field in the second stanza with Pore creating a couple of dangerous chances.

* The Timbers backline was dominated in the air. Cronin didn’t really establish himself in the box. Does Keel even know how to mark a man on set pieces? This is an area of concern.

* Nishimura got the start on the right side. Scot Thompson on the bench. The times they are a changing. Nishimura did a decent job accounting for himself. He sure isn’t afraid to push forward. He also unleashed a blast of a shot from about 30 yards out that was almost special.

* Hayes is going to be a threat on set pieces and corners. Give it time. I believe he was wearing the captain’s armband. Correct me if I am wrong.

* Death, taxes and Cameron Knowles in the starting XI.

* The post was Cronin’s friend twice.

* Suzuki might prove his worth if he has someone next to him that can finish. The jury is still out on whether Mandjou Keita (or is it Keita Mandjou, like the USL announcer kept saying?) will be that finisher. He was not a factor for a large portion of the match and when he was a factor he wasn’t connecting from close in.

* Typical Gavin Wilkinson move to bring on defenders in the waning minutes of the game with his team behind. Wilkinson’s managerial record against Vancouver: 2-5-2.

* Loved the USL Live broadcast when they went down to the third commentator on the sideline and he looked stoned and lost. Didn’t really love the super, super slow replays that were shown instead of live play.

* Excellent showing by the traveling Timbers Army. They were visible and loud and praised by the USL announcers for being “well behaved” (after being called out for throwing something on the pitch).

* Excellent showing at Beulahland. There were more people there than there were in the entire North End in 2001. So many people that I didn’t even notice the two biggest soccer fans on the Portland City Council. They were there, right?

Final Thoughts: Another season, another loss at Vancouver. At least this one was entertaining. It is encouraging that the team was able to create some excellent scoring changes and not put us all to sleep. That is more than could be said about most games last year. It is also encouraging that the midfield looks much improved. Not so encouraging was the play of the keeper and the backline. The Whitecaps easily could have put in a few more goals. For the first game of the season the effort wasn’t terrible. Time, we need.

Match Reports:
* Official Match Report (USL Soccer)
* Timbers fall in season opener in Vancouver (Portland Timbers)
* Nash Lifts Whitecaps FC over Portland, 1-0 (Vancouver Whitecaps)
* Vancouver Whitecaps 1 Portland Timbers 0 (Whitecaps Fan Blog)

Photos