Sounders FC 2 (1-1-0, 3 points) earned its first win of the season on Sunday afternoon in a 2-1 win over Portland Timbers 2 (0-3-0, 0 points) at Starfire Stadium. Forward Seyi Adekoya and midfielder Zach Mathers scored in the 64th minute and 66th minutes, respectively, for the Rave Green, while goalkeeper Tyler Miller made a key penalty-kick save in the 77th minute to preserve the victory. Next up, S2 plays another Cascadia foe with a contest at Whitecaps FC on Saturday, April 8 (3:00 p.m. PT / Live-Streamed on SoundersFC.com).
Despite carving out a host of chances in the first half, S2 went behind in the 51st minute when T2 midfielder Villyan Bijev struck an impressive goal off a counter-attack. With several S2 players caught high up the field, Bijev drove into space and curled his effort into the top corner beyond the outstretched Tyler Miller.
S2 levelled in the 64th minute courtesy of Adekoya. Defender Brian Nana-Sinkam clipped a ball into space for the Homegrown Player to run onto, and with just three touches he blew by his marker and nestled his shot off the back post and into the net for the equalizer.
Mathers, who signed a First Team contract this offseason, doubled S2’s lead three minutes later, with Adekoya at the heart of the attacking move once again. The speedy forward sent a cross into the area, where Henry Wingo was on-hand to square a pass across the face of goal for Mathers to tap in.
In the 77th minute, the visiting side had a chance to draw level when Miller brought down T2’s Victor Arboleda in the penalty area. Bijev stepped up to take the ensuing spot kick, but was denied by a full-extension save from Miller.
On Saturday, April 8, Ezra Hendrickson’s side takes on Whitecaps FC 2 in the first contest away from home in 2017. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. PT.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 |2 - 1| Portland Timbers 2
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Venue: Starfire Stadium
Referee: Chipalo Street
Assistants: Cameron Siler, Connor Hazelwood
Fourth Official: Robert Gilbert
Attendance: 952
Weather: 52 degrees and mostly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
POR – Villyan Bijev (Victor Arboleda) 51’
SEA – Seyi Adekoya (Brian Nana-Sinkam) 64’
SEA – Zach Mathers (Henry Wingo) 66’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA – Ray Saari (caution) 53’
POR – Dylan Damraoui (caution) 61’
POR – Lamar Batista (caution) 63’
POR – Rennico Clarke (caution) 71’
POR – Neco Brett (caution) 81’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Tyler Miller; Brian Nana-Sinkam, Riley Grant, Sam Rogers, Nouhou Tolo; Ray Saari, Francisco Narbon, Zach Mathers, David Olsen (Seyi Adekoya 62’), Henry Wingo (Shandon Hopeau 75’), Irvin Parra (Felix Chenkam 83’)
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Joe Hafferty, Lorenzo Ramos, Jamie Dimitroff
Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 9
Corner-kicks: 6
Saves: 3
Portland Timbers 2 – Kendall McIntosh; Shaquille Jimenez (Augustine Williams 80’), Rennico Clarke, Lamar Batista, Kyle Bjornethun; Neco Brett, Andre Lewis, Dylan Damraoui (Jacob Montes 69’), Villyan Bijev, Blake Bodily (HT); Jeremy Ebobisse
Substitutes not used: Wade Hamilton, Michael Amick, Harold Hanson, Russell Cicerone
Total shots: 10
Shots on goal: 4
Corner-kicks: 4
Saves: 7
