Game 19: Rowdies 2 – Timbers 2

Taka Suzuki scored his first goal of the season to earn Portland Timbers an important 2-2 draw away to Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday. The Timbers were headed for an ignominious loss after scoring the game’s first goal before Suzuki saved the day. Steve Purdy’s marauding run led to the equalizer and the Timbers escaped Florida with a point and kept three points clear of the Rowdies.

Bright Dike gave the Timbers what appeared to be the perfect start. His 16th minute header was a rare opener for Portland this season. But the same old Timbers came crawling back out as Tampa began to exert pressure mid-way through the half. Aaron King chipped Steve Cronin for the Rowdies’ equalizer, marking the second consecutive game in which the Timbers’ goalkeeper has been caught off his line. More devastating was Tampa’s second goal, a stunning free kick from recently-acquired Ricardo Sanchez, just before the hour mark. The Mexican midfielder curled a 30-yard free kick over the Portland wall and past Cronin for a goal that the fans at George Steinbrenner Field surely did not deserve.

Portland looked defeated, once again, until Suzuki’s substitution with twenty minutes to play. His rambunctious play and constant activity changed the pace of play in front of Tampa’s goal and ultimately resulted in the equalizer. Purdy, who was sent on deep runs down the right flank all game, was instrumental in both goals, and perhaps showed off a part of his game previously not taken advantage of.

Ultimately the Timbers would have preferred to earn three points to make up for the debacle in St. Louis. But sharing points with a rival for playoff position, and away at that, is a decent enough result. More importantly, Minnesota also drew over the weekend, so the Timbers remain tied on points but ahead in goal differential of the expansion club in Blaine. That sets up the Timbers’ next home game as a vitally important match, when Minnesota come to PGE Park on August 11. But before that, Portland must travel to second place Rochester Rhinos, the club Portland defeated in the season opener back in April. Any points from Rochester would be a very useful for the Timbers as Commissioner’s Cup holders try desperately to remain in the top-half of the 2010 playoff picture.

Category: Portland Timbers, USSF Division II