By TRAVIS CLARK
The Portland Timbers must have hoped a new month would bring sweeping changes to their league form. Winless in May, they took an early lead over the Carolina Railhawks Saturday night on a Ryan Pore goal at PGE Park.
But like what has become all too common out West, no one complimented Pore's scoring, and the Timbers once against conceded a late equalizer to drop two points in a 1-1 draw.
Portland missed a number of chances to put the game away, and the draw extends their winless slide in the league to five games. Not making anythings easier is an impending road trip.
Here's a look at the rest of this weekend's action from USSF D-2:
AUSTIN GRABS LATE WIN OVER PUERTO RICO
It may have been much close than the last two wins, but the Austin Aztex returned home in style, earning a late 2-1 win over the Puerto Rico Islanders. Maxwell Griffin grabbed the game's first goal for the host Aztex in the 24th minute, though Nicholas Addlery canceled it out in the second half. Yordany Alvarez grabbed the winner in the 80th minute as Austin padded the lead at the top of the table.
VANCOUVER DOWNS TAMPA BAY
The winning streak ended for FC Tampa Bay, and while the Whitecaps can be happy with three points, the hosts once again couldn't find the back of the net more than once. The game's lone goal came on a Martin Nash penalty kick — Rowdies defender Scott Buete handled the ball in the box — and a sturdy display by Jay Nolly in the Whitecaps goal was good for a 1-0 win. Aaron Wheeler and Aaron King both missed easy chances to equalize for Tampa bay late in the second half.
MIAMI ADDS ANOTHER DRAW
Miami FC ended a two-game losing streak, but couldn't hang on to a 1-0 lead, conceding on the road to draw Montreal 1-1. Christian Gomez opened the scoring for the Blues in the 9th minute, Gomez popping up at the right place to finish a deflected corner kick. The lead didn't last long, as Tony Donatelli evened the score from the penalty spot. Both keepers — Caleb Patterson and Impact stand-in Srdjan Djekanovic — played well as the two teams shared a point.
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA, CAN'T SCORE
Coming away with a point on the road is good for any USSF D-2 expansion side, and Minnesota was content leaving Rochester with a fourth point in two matches after a 0-0 draw against the Rhinos. Stars goalie Joe Warren picked up the clean sheet as Minnesota was content to sit back and try to strike back on the counter. Rochester's Tyler Rosenlund came closest to scoring, hitting the bar off a corner kick in the 10th minute.
@yankiboy
HELLZ YA!!!!!! But we’ll see just how “fit” Tampa is ta cross lightsabers/swords (whichever you prefer ;0) with the RAW before the playoffs.
Yes, Satruday is a big day for football/soccer. With the World Cup in full swing (and the US game that day), I would hope/expect that the Rowdies game on Saturday will be close to a sell out. We’ll see.
I forgot about Wheeler’s chance v. Vancouver: empty net, a defender running to the goalline, all the time in the world, and he headed it wide…oh, well. Both Wheeler and King have done extremely well this season, so I can’t really fault them for those missed chances…it happens…
MacDintons will be a zoo on Saturday; I am opting for a house party instead…and for a huge upset come 4:45 in the afternoon 🙂
On a separate note, as I just requested a day off for the US/Slovenia game next Friday, my boss told me that she is taking the day off to watch the game, alongside 7-8 other co-workers…talk about World Cup frenzy; I like it!!!
Minnesota didn’t really attack on the counter, so much as send 3-4 guys forward and take the first open shot inside 40 yards. That Rochester couldn’t score was just sad; Lilley said after the game that the Rhinos bored him. He wasn’t alone.
I want to go officially on record as saying:
“Tampa Bay is for REAL!”
Same goes for Austin.
I’m not sitting on the fence anymore.
They are defintely more “fit” than “counterfeit”. Now that I have seen both in person, and they are still getting the results–not much more that I can say.
Puerto Rico had got to find a way to dig itself out of the whole that it is in!
The Cuban kid Alvarez scored and that stung a bit more for me. Islanders had the chance to get him and the other U-23 defectors and that kid(along with the kid at Baltimore Yaikel Perez) can play.
Sure, PR has some games in hand but the Islanders need to go on a serious run.
Especially if you’re on the west coast. That 4:30 am kickoff for the South Korea – Greece match may require a nap right after the US game.
Agreed Ian.
Saturday will be a long day for soccer fans in Tampa and across the country. USA/Englad at MacDinton’s in the afternoon…which then rolls into Rowdies/Montreal at the Yankmee’s stadium.
Two words for Saturday:
Pace yourself.
Rowdies missed a couple of sitters in the 2nd half; what a pity…Aaron King missed from 5 yards out on the empty net in the 78th minute…the miss of the season. Ouch! All in all, the Rowdies have nothing to be ashamed of. They played well and were very unlucky not to get something out of this game.
Bring on Montreal on Saturday!!!I expect Steinbrenner Field to be packed and rockin’ on Saturday.
“, though Nicholas Addlery canceled it out in the second half. ”
Actually, he tied up the score in the first half — 35′.
http://ussf.demosphere.com/stats/2010/1634194.html