VANCOUVER, Wash. – Midfielder Fernando Monge scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute and contributed an assist to lead Seattle Sounders FC U-23 to a 4-3 victory over the Portland Timbers U-23s before a spirited crowd of 1,631 at Kiggins Bowl on Friday night.
Down 2-1 at halftime, the Timbers U-23s rallied back on two occasions in the second half on goals by forward Erik Hurtado and midfielder Cam Vickers to pull even at 3-3 with their Cascadia rivals in the 72nd minute. A late corner kick led to a scramble in front of the Timbers U-23s goal and Monge was able to knock in the game-winner in the 88th minute as Seattle handed Portland its first home loss of the season.
The two sides combined for three goals in the first 30 minutes of the contest, with Timbers U-23s forward Mark Sherrod finding the opening strike just 10 minutes in. Sounders FC U-23s then scored twice in a nine-minute span, using an own goal and a tally from midfielder Sean Morris to take a 2-1 lead at the break.
Sounders FC U-23s took a 3-2 lead in the 67th minute, shortly after Hurtado had pulled the Timbers U-23s even just 10 minutes into the second half, as a foul by Portland in the box led to a penalty kick goal from Aodhan Quinn.
Sherrod scored his team-best seventh goal of the season, Hurtado netted a goal in a third straight match and midfielder Roberto Farfan logged his first assist of the season for the Timbers U-23s (6-3-1, 19pts). With the loss, the team falls to fourth place in the Premier Development League’s Northwest Division.
Monge recorded his fifth goal and second assist of the season, Quinn notched his fourth goal and Morris scored his third to lead Sounders FC U-23 (6-2-3, 21pts) to a fourth win in five games. Seattle moves to within two points of the division-leading Kitsap Pumas.
Sherrod opened the scoring early, finding the back of the net in the 10th minute off a cross in from the right side by Farfan. In on the near post, Sherrod one-timed a shot from close distance past Sounders FC U-23 goalkeeper Doug Herrick.
Seattle responded with back-to-back goals to pull ahead 2-1, starting with an own goal off a play initiated by forward Jamael Cox from the left side of the box in the 21st minute. In the 30th minute, a long throw-in sprung Monge for a breakaway, who then set up Morris for a chip shot past Portland goalkeeper Spencer Richey to help Sounders FC U-23s grab the lead.
The Timbers U-23s tied the score at 2-2 in the 55th minute, as Hurtado benefitted from a miscue by Herrick on a long ball played into the box. Herrick miss-timed his run off his line and the ball slipped by. Hurtado charged in and tapped a rolling shot into the back of an open net.
Quinn’s penalty-kick goal helped Sounders FC U-23s regain the lead at 3-2 seven minutes after the hour mark, but the Timbers U-23s were able fight back once again to tie the score in the 72nd minute. Vickers crushed a shot from the top right corner of the penalty area that curled just past the reach of Herrick and landed in the top far corner of the goal for his third strike of the season.
A late corner kick set up the game-winning goal by Monge in the closing minutes of the match. The ball swung in from the left side and bounced around the box, with the Timbers U-23s having and chance to clear it from danger. Monge was able to get a touch on the ball to direct it toward goal, and a Timbers U-23s player was unable to clear it off the line as the ball crossed over for the Seattle win.
The Timbers U-23s face a second game in four days as they visit North Sound SeaWolves FC on Monday, June 25, at Edmonds Woodway High School in Edmonds, Wash.; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). The match against North Sound opens a stretch of three straight on the road for Portland.
Notes: The loss was the Timbers U-23s’ first defeat at home in league play this season. The team had won its first five consecutive home matches entering Friday’s contest … The four goals conceded by the Portland defense to Sounders FC U-23 was the most allowed in a single game in 2012; the team had allowed only three goals at home entering the match … Sounders FC U-23 won both matches of the 2012 season series against the Timbers U-23s … Timbers U-23s forward Erik Hurtado has scored in three consecutive games from June 9-22 … Portland has scored three or more goals in five of their 10 regular-season games … The Timbers U-23s’ own goal was the team’s first of the season … Friday marked the time Timbers U-23s’ team history in which they had scored three goals and suffered a loss … Friday’s match was the first in a Cascadia weekend as the first teams for both Portland and Seattle meet Sunday in an Major League Soccer match at JELD-WEN Field on ESPN.
Scoring Summary:
POR: Sherrod (Farfan), 10
SEA: Own goal (Harms), 21
SEA: Morris (Monge), 30
POR: Hurtado, 55
SEA: Quinn (penalty kick), 67
POR: Vickers, 72
SEA: Monge, 88
Misconduct Summary:
SEA: Anthony (Caution), 69
SEA: Quinn (Caution), 82
Lineups:
POR: GK Spencer Richey, D Reed Matte, D Chris Harms, D Anthony Hobbs, D Evyn Hewett, M Andrew Ribeiro, M Cam Vickers (Emery Welshman, 85), M Roberto Farfan (William Seymore, 54), M Steven Evans, F Erik Hurtado, F Mark Sherrod (Clark Phillips, 81)
Subs not used: GK Keegan Rogers, M Ricardo Carrillo, M Joey De Mare, M Nick Hamer
SEA: GK Doug Herrick, D Mark Lee, D DeAndre Yedlin, D Anthony Arena, D Chris Brundage, M Fernando Monge (Brandon Brockway, 89), M Aodhan Quinn, M Troy Peterson, M Sean Morris, F Jamael Cox (Luis Esteves, 63), F Sean Okoli (Darwin Jones, 71)
Subs not used: GK Rodney Greiling, M Mauricio DeLeon, F Facundo Dipascuale, D Michael Uyehara
