BREMERTON, Wash. – A shutout from goalkeeper Jason Dodson in his season debut helped the Portland Timbers U-23s battle Northwest division rival the Kitsap Pumas to a scoreless draw on the road Saturday at Bremerton Memorial Stadium.
The matchup between the Timbers U-23s and Pumas doubled as a qualifier for the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. With the draw, both teams are 1-0-1 (4pts) through their first two qualifiers and remain tied at the top of the Northwest Division in the race for a berth in the U.S. Open Cup tournament. Portland and Kitsap each have two additional qualification matches remaining.
Dodson, who joined up with the team earlier this week, anchored Portland’s backline which held the Pumas (3-0-1, 10pts) scoreless for the first time in 2011; Kitsap entered the match having scored seven goals in its first three games.
With their second straight shutout on the road, the Timbers U-23s (1-1-1, 4pts) ended Kitsap’s three-game winning streak to start the season. The Timbers U-23s are unbeaten in their last four meetings (3-0-1) with the Pumas and have not lost in Kitsap since the 2009 campaign.
The Timbers U-23s return home to play host to two matches next week, starting with the North Sound SeaWolves on Wednesday, May 25, at JELD-WEN Field for the second-annual Health & Fitness School Day, presented by Providence; kickoff is set for 11 a.m. Tickets, priced at $5, will be available for purchase at the stadium box office on match day. The Timbers U-23s then face the Tacoma Tide on Sunday, May 29 at Clackamas High School in Clackamas, Ore., at 5 p.m.
Notes: The Timbers U-23s are 3-1-2 all-time against Kitsap, including a 2-1-1 mark on the road … Both Dodson and defender Dylan Tucker made their first starts of the season for the Timbers U-23s … The Timbers U-23s improve to 1-0-1 on the road this season … Midfielder Nosa Iyoha returned to the lineup after missing the team’s win over Washington due to a one-game, league-imposed suspension for a red card against Victoria on May 7 … Backup Timbers U-23s goalkeeper Garrett Staples was a member of the Pumas in 2010.
Timbers U-23s Starting XI: GK Jason Dodson, D Tracy Hasson, D Dylan Tucker, D Ryan Kawulok, D Sean Morris, M Roberto Farfan, M Nosa Iyoha, M Nick Palodichuk, M Bim Ogunyemi, F Brent Richards, F Travis Bowen
