The Portland Timbers hosted Chivas USA on Thursday night in the second match for each team in the preseason tournament being hosted by the Timbers at JELD-WEN Field. The Timbers had drawn San Jose 1-1 in the late game on Monday, while Chivas USA had lost to Sweden’s AIK in the early match. 15,195 fans made the trip out to JELD-WEN Field on another chilly night in Portland.
But it would be Chivas USA who would take the early lead in the 21st minute, when midfielder Alan Souza’s cross from the right side found the head of a charging Cesar Romaro, who one-timed a volley past Timbers goalkeeper Jake Gleeson, giving Chivas USA the early 1-0 lead.
It was a night where the Timbers featured four of the players who were on the 2010 Timbers U-23 team that had a perfect season and won the Premier Development League title, with Gleeson getting the start in goal, and Freddie Braun starting in midfield. Timbers fans also got to see midfielder Brent Richards get his first action for the MLS Timbers, and defender Ryan Kawulok coming into the match in the 60th minute, which means for six minutes until Richards came off, four products of the Timbers U-23 program were on the pitch.
But it would be Kawulok who would steal the spotlight in the 78th minute, when a corner kick from Kalif Alhassan found Kawulok at the back post, whose low shot was intially saved by Chivas goalkeeper Tim Melia, but he was unable to control the ball and it had crossed the goal line before he could clear it, and the Timbers had pulled back to 1-1, which would be the score at the final whistle.
The Timbers are now 3-0-3in the 2012 preseason going into their match against AIK at 5:00 pm on Sunday, and are still undefeated in preseason in their two-year MLS history.
Match reports:
Portland Timbers:
http://www.portlandtimbers.com/news/2012/03/timbers-battle-back-1-1-draw-chivas-usa
OregonLive:
http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2012/03/portland_timbers_rally_for_1-1.html
The Goat Parade:
http://www.thegoatparade.com/2012/3/1/2838583/knotted-up-chivas-usa-1-portland-timbers-1
The Columbian:
http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/mar/01/kawuloks-goal-gets-timbers-even-1-1/
