HILLSBORO, Ore. – Midfielder Brent Richards and defender Ryan Kawulok each scored in the first half to help the Portland Timbers U-23s play the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency to a 2-2 draw at Hare Field in their regular-season home finale.
Richards opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and Kawulok tallied just six minutes later to help the Timbers U-23s build a 2-0 lead. The Whitecaps Residency were then able to pull even with two goals inside of a minute. After an own goal by Portland, Vancouver found the equalizer on a strike by midfielder Phillipe Davies in the 38th minute.
For a second straight match, the Timbers U-23s doubled their opponent in shots, but fell victim to season-high save numbers from opposing goalkeepers. Whitecaps Residency goalkeeper Callum Irvin logged nine saves, including five in the second half, to help his team to a draw. On Friday, goalkeeper Andrew Kowen logged nine saves in the Abbotsford Mariners’ 2-1 win over Portland.
Richards scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season, finding the back of the net in consecutive matches, and Kawulok recorded his second goal to lead the Timbers U-23s (5-5-3, 18pts). With the draw, the Timbers U-23s remain in a two-way tie for fourth place in the Premier Development League’s Northwest Division and trail the Victoria Highlanders in the division’s second and final playoff spot by five points.
Davies’ goal was his first of the season, midfielder Bryce Anderson recorded his first assist and forward Caleb Clarke took a pair of shots to help the Whitecaps Residency (6-4-3, 21pts) earn a point on the road. Vancouver holds onto third place in the division and trails second-place Victoria by just two points.
Richards and Kawulok capitalized on unsecure balls inside the box to help the Timbers U-23s to a two-goal lead. A shot by forward Ricky Abrego was saved by Callum, but the ‘keeper could not hold onto the ball and Richards was there to put the rebound away. Callum made the save on a shot by Portland’s Miles Byass in the 28th minute, but the ball popped loose and Kawulok pounced on the free ball to extend the Timbers U-23s’ advantage 2-0.
The Whitecaps Residency pulled one back in the 38th minute on an own goal by Portland’s Abrego. A dribbling header off a corner kick was deflected by Abrego and into his own goal. Within the same minute, Davies leveled the score at 2-2 when he ripped a shot from the corner of the box inside the far post. Timbers U-23s goalkeeper Keegan Rogers got a hand to it, but was unable to keep it out of his goal.
The Timbers U-23s finish their 2011 regular-season schedule with three straight matches on the road. The team begins a two-game road trip Saturday, July 16, at the Victoria Highlanders at Royal Athletic Park. Portland then faces the Washington Crossfire at Redmond High School on Sunday, July 17.
Notes: Now with six goals on the season, Richards becomes the first Timbers U-23s player to record six or more goals in consecutive seasons. He tallied 14 goals last year in his PDL MVP-winning season … The Timbers U-23s finished the 2011 season series against the Whitecaps Residency with a 0-1-1 record. It’s the first season since Portland joined the PDL in which it didn’t record a victory against Vancouver … The own goal in the 38th minute was the first own goal conceded by the Timbers U-23s in 2011 … Goalkeeper Keegan Rogers, 18, made his first start as a member of the Timbers U-23s; it was just his second appearance of the season … Portland out-shot Vancouver 21-8, including 11 shots in the second half … The Timbers U-23s committed just six fouls against the Whitecaps Residency.
Scoring Summary:
POR: Richards, 22
POR: Kawulok, 28
VAN: Own Goal (Abrego), 38
VAN: Davies (Alderson), 38
Lineups:
POR: GK Keegan Rogers (Jason Dodson, 46), D Reed Matte (Thomas Iwasaki, 70), D Dylan Tucker, D Ryan Kawulok, D Jesus Gonzalez (Richie Carrillo, 57), M Roberto Farfan (Ricky Dorrego, 62), M Brent Richards, M Nick Palodichuk, M Luis Esteves (Sean Morris, 50), F Miles Byass (Erik Hurtado, 50), F Ricky Abrego
VAN: GK Irving Callum, D Alex Rowly, D Derrick Bassi, D Daniel Stenese, D Corbin La’Vere, M Alex Morfaw (Tim Hickson, 76), M Bryce Alderson (Ben McKendry, 60), M Phillipe Davies (Spencer Deboie, 73), M Ben Fisk, F Yassin Essa, F Caleb Clarke (Carlos Marquez, 76)
