Match 17: Portland Timbers 0-2 Puerto Rico Islanders

By: Bob Kellett | July 10th, 2008

The Bottom Line: First half goals by Fabrice Noel and Josh Hansen lifted the Puerto Rico Islanders to a 2-0 victory over the Portland Timbers in front of ~~11,932 (number posted at the stadium)~~ 10,042 at PGE Park. Noel opened the scoring in the 38th minute when he knocked home a cross that squirmed through the box in front of the Timbers goal. Seven minutes later Hansen volleyed in a ball from the top of the box, beating Timbers keeper Brad Knighton with a great shot. After mustering just one shot on goal in the first half, the Timbers came to life a bit in the second stanza, but could not beat Puerto Rico keeper Bill Gaudette, who twice got help from the woodwork. With the victory, their first in six tries in Portland, Puerto Rico (6-5-3) leaps ahead of the Timbers in the USL First Division table. The Timbers (5-6-6) have been shutout at home five times in nine games and have lost three times at home after going all of last year without a loss at PGE Park.

Timbers Lineup:
Knighton
S. Thompson Knowles J. Thompson (Karalexis 45) Griffin
Guante Brown Dombrowski Higgins
Suzuki (Olum 45) Bagley (Walker 26, Totori 76)

Did you notice….?

* A huge crowd, great weather, cheap beer…what could possibly go wrong? The entire first half went wrong. We’ve seen this before. No possession, no attack, nothing close to attractive football, a defensive lapse, and that’s the game. If you would have left at halftime I wouldn’t have blamed you. Simply put the effort was not there. There was a bit more urgency in the second 45 and a bit more life, but let’s be realistic. This Timbers team is not playing well and has shown no signs that it is ever going to come together this season. I’ll be the first to admit I thought this year’s side had more talent than just about any other in club history. I was wrong. This isn’t a talented team. Watch the first half again (if you are a masochist) and you’ll see a team that just doesn’t have the horses in a number of key positions.

* The coach isn’t without blame either. The decision to yank Chris Bagley in the 26th minute was puzzling. Bagley hadn’t done much to that point, but he was the wrong forward to take out. Takayuki Suzuki was dreadful. Every pass, every touch, everything he did gave the ball away. If you are going to pull someone that early in the game, it should have been Taka. The fact he was pulled at halftime and spent the second half on the bench with an icepack on his ankle furthers this argument. He didn’t look healthy or ready to play. Makes you wonder why he played all those minutes in the two games against Morelia.

* I couldn’t tell which central defender it was on the first goal who misplayed the cross, but it was a signature move by the backline this year. For the most part they do a great job shutting down opponents. The mistakes come when they are too casual in their play. The second goal was just a great strike by Hansen. Knighton couldn’t do anything on either goal. The goal right before half was simply deflating.

* In the second half Wilkinson switched to a 4-3-3 and that produced some better attack. Olum was the target forward in the middle with Brown on the left and Walker on the right. I thought Olum had the most energy of any of the Timbers players. He might not be technically sound, but he makes things happen. On a team that is painfully bad at scoring goals, he needs to start. Loyal readers of this blog know that the Timbers have never lost when he has started.

* I’m not going to slam Neil Dombrowski, I thought he played a decent game, but couldn’t the Timbers use a guy like Edwin Miranda as a holding mid right about now? Chris Agnello should never have let him go.

* Anyone impressed with the play of Jamil Walker? I wasn’t. He did get a shot off that forced Gaudette to make a tough save that was aided by the post, but other than that he looked like a player with poor touch and average speed. I’m willing to give him time, of course, but he doesn’t make me miss Bryan Jordan any less. It was odd seeing him wearing Gregor’s #13.

* It is good to know that the club values the safety of players during exhibitions more than it does during real games. Home plate was covered for the Morelia match. Tonight it was exposed. What kind of message does that send? There were just as many people in the stands this evening as there were for that game. That discounts the money issue argument.

* I was shocked with the size of the crowd. Too bad they weren’t treated to a better display of soccer. Too bad that a few of them felt the need to throw things on the pitch. You can blame the marketing department for handing out projectiles as a halftime promotion, you can blame Gaudette for inciting the crowd, you can blame the poor play on the pitch, but ultimately it is the fans who are responsible for their own behavior. That behavior was extremely disappointing and frankly inexcusable. Players from either side could easily have been hurt. I am disappointed by what I saw and heard.

* Jordan James is still around and he was dressed as the backup keeper. Cameron Knowles wore the captain’s armband.

* I’m not sure Benjamin Totori has ever been taught to pass. He certainly seems to enjoy going one on three.

* Kudos to the four Puerto Rico fans decked out in their team’s colors. At least some people in attendance went home happy.

Final Thoughts: - The optimist would say that the Timbers showed something in the second half. The pessimist would say that it took 60 minutes for that something to come out and it wasn’t enough to even score a goal at home against a club that never wins in Portland. The tough stretch the Timbers have been going through is turning into a tough season and that season is slipping away. Maybe something magic will happen in the final 13 games and all won’t be lost, but this team doesn’t look like it deserves to be in the playoffs. Hats off to Puerto Rico for getting a result on the road. The Islanders didn’t play a stellar game but they finished their chances. With three games in hand, it is hard to imagine them finishing below the Timbers now.

Match Reports (I’ll update when I see them or when I wake up)

Islanders capture 2-0 win over Timbers (Portland Timbers)

Timbers lacking in loss to Islanders (The Oregonian)

Wilkinson apologizes for Timbers’ first-half performance (Portland Tribune)

Pink Pig PGE Park Pandemonium (Nino Nando Speed)

Close doesn’t count: Timbers can’t find net in 2-0 loss to Puerto Rico (Soccer City USA)

Office Match Information (USL Soccer)