PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers Academy teams played host to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency and San Juan Soccer Club over the weekend at the adidas Timbers Training Center, and combined won three of their four matches.
The Timbers U-18 Academy defeated San Juan Soccer Club on Sunday, splitting its two matches on the weekend. With a pair of wins, the Timbers U-16 Academy extended its unbeaten streak to eight games and are in the race for one of the wildcard playoff berths in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
The Timbers U-18s fell 2-0 to the first-place Whitecaps FC Residency (U-18s) on Saturday. Yasslin Essa scored both goals for Vancouver, with the first coming on a penalty kick in the 19th minute. The Timbers U-18s had a chance to level, but Christian Desir’s penalty-kick attempt was saved by Whitecaps FC goalkeeper Sean Melvin. Essa capped his brace with a late goal in the 90th minute.
On Sunday, the Timbers U-18s (9-10-3, 30pts) recorded their third win in six games with a 2-1 victory over San Juan. Midfielders Kenton McGuire (Vancouver, Wash.) and Sam Werner (Bozeman, Mont.) each scored their second goals of the season in the 22nd and 77th minutes, respectively, to give Portland a 2-0 lead. San Juan was able to pull one back in the 79th minute.
The Timbers U-16s opened the weekend with a 4-0 win over Whitecaps FC Residency (U-16s) on Saturday, scoring all four goals in the second half. Forward Alex Segovia (Beaverton, Ore.) recorded a brace and now leads the team in scoring with seven goals. Forward Peter Prescott (Vancouver, Wash.) opened the scoring in the 51st minute with his fourth goal in four games, and midfielder Alan Hernandez (Tigard, Ore.) notched his second goal of the season in the 79th minute. Goalkeeper Miguel Martin (Terrebonne, Ore.) recorded the shutout.
Hernandez scored his second goal of the weekend to help the Timbers U-16s to a 3-2 win over San Juan on Sunday. Twice the Timbers U-16s took a lead on goals by Edson Martinez (Salem, Ore.) in the 33rd minute and KP Morgan (Beaverton, Ore.), making just his second start, in the 55th minute. But Patrick Lee scored twice to bring San Juan level on both occasions and tied the match at 2-2 in the 71st minute. Hernandez delivered the game-winner in the final minutes of the match, as the Timbers U-16 Academy (10-6-6, 36pts) recorded its sixth win in the last eight games.
Additionally, four Timbers Academy players were on the match day roster for the Timbers Reserves match on Sunday against USL PRO side VSI Tampa Bay FC – Timbers U-16s goalkeeper Joe Wheelwright (Pleasant View, Utah) and Timbers U-18s midfielder James Nosack (Ridgefield, Wash.) and forwards Christian Desir (Portland, Ore.) and Anthony Macchione (Camas, Wash.)
adidas Timbers Alliance grows to five clubs with addition of Bend FC Timbers
The Timbers today announced a partnership with Central Oregon’s Oregon Rush, which sees the youth club become the newest member of the adidas Timbers Alliance. Based in Bend, Ore., the club will be renamed the Bend FC Timbers and is the fifth youth club affiliated with the adidas Timbers Alliance.
The adidas Timbers Alliance is a network of strategic partnerships between the Timbers and elite clubs in the Timbers’ development territory and is designed to build unique working relationships and development opportunities for its member clubs. Through the alliance, the Timbers share coaching resources and curriculum with member clubs to aid in player development.
At the youth level, the adidas Timbers Alliance helps channel top youth players – both boys and girls – towards the Timbers’ development programs and the Timbers Academy. The adidas Timbers Alliance also includes youth clubs Eastside Timbers, Rogue Valley Timbers, Vancouver United Timbers and Westside Timbers.
Additionally, alliance clubs are allowed the unique privilege of incorporating the Timbers brand into their club name. On the field, alliance clubs wear the same color jerseys – red and white – in recognition of the partnership with the Timbers, featuring a special adidas Timbers Alliance badge on the uniform.
Bend FC Timbers were originally formed in 2007, and have since grown to include more than 1,100 players representing 80 teams. The club’s players have received recognition at every level of play, including local, state, regional and national honors. Teams from the club have won 12 state championships and more than 30 players have gone on to compete collegiately.
