PORTLAND, Ore. – Behind three second-half goals, T2 recorded their third straight win with a 4-1 victory over Cascadia-rival Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Merlo Field on Sunday night. Forward Foster Langsdorf recorded a brace, increasing his season total to 13 goals, which ranks tied for second in the USL. Additionally, midfielder Renzo Zambrano and defender Arturo Diz Pe both tallied goals in the match.
Run of form
T2 recorded its third straight win, marking the club’s first three-game winning streak of the 2018 season. In addition, Portland has earned at least one point in four of its last five matches (3-1-1). Notably, Langsdorf has scored three goals in his last two matches.
Golden Boot race
Langsdorf tallied a goal in each half, recording his third multi-goal game of the season. The brace was Langsdorf’s second of the season. Langsdorf now ranks tied for second in the USL with 13 goals, trailing Orange County SC’s Thomas Enevoldsen by just one goal.
Timbers on loan
Four Portland Timbers players made appearances for T2 in the match. Midfielder Lucas Melano played 26 minutes in his first appearance for T2 in 2018. Goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh made his 14th start of the season, finishing the match with four saves.
Key plays
From just outside his own 18-yard box, Diz Pe played a long ball over the top of the Sounders FC 2 defense to Langsdorf inside the penalty area, but he fired his shot just over the crossbar in the fifth minute.
T2 took a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute on midfielder Marvin Loría’s corner-kick service into the box. After Seattle goalkeeper Jacob Castro failed to punch away Loría’s in-swinging delivery, the ball was partially cleared off the line by a Seattle defender, but Langsdorf smashed home the rebound attempt from point-blank range to give Portland a one-goal advantage.
Portland doubled its lead in the 61st minute after midfielder Jack Barmby played a pass to midfielder Renzo Zambrano at the top of the box. Zambrano unleashed a shot from the edge of the box that deflected off a Seattle defender and into the back of the net. The goal marked Zambrano’s second consecutive game with a goal.
T2 added a third goal in the 69th minute after Loría dribbled down the left flank, delivering a pinpoint cross at the near post that Langsdorf redirected into the far corner of the net. The two-goal performance marked Langsdorf’s second game this season with a brace.
Diz Pie added the fourth goal of the match for T2 in the 78th minute. After Barmby’s shot from the right edge of the box hit the underside of the crossbar, Diz Pe headed the ball into the far corner of the net for his first goal of the season. Diz Pe is the 15th different player to score a goal for T2 in 2018.
Next Game
Next up, T2 continue a five-match homestand, playing host to Orange County SC at Merlo Field on Wednesday, Aug. 22. Beginning at 7 p.m. (Pacific) the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Postgame Quote Sheet
T2 head coach Cameron Knowles
General thoughts after the team’s third consecutive victory…
“It’s really good. Nine points in three games. It was always going to be tough and we’ve had some guys that have played a lot of minutes. I don’t think it was one of our better performances, but it was a really great result.”
On the play of the group…
“They played well together. Carlos [Anguiano] has been good. He’s been good in training and he’s been good when he’s played. I thought it was good for him to come in and put in a mature performance for a young player. Foster [Langsdorf] gets himself in spots to score goals. He works incredibly hard to get himself in good areas and he finishes his chances, so credit to him.”
On the upcoming home match Wednesday and the final stretch of the season…
“We knew this home stretch was going to be really important to pick up points, especially when we haven’t been great at home. To start off with back-to-back wins at home is really important. There’ll be a quick turnaround. We’ve got to get guys healthy, recover and get them ready for the midweek game.”
T2 (13-10-3, 42pts) vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2 (5-15-2, 17pts)
Aug. 19, 2018 – Merlo Field (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
T2 1 3 4
Sounders FC 2 0 1 1
Scoring Summary:
POR: Langsdorf, 34
POR: Zambrano (Barmby), 61
POR: Langdorf (Loría), 68
SEA: Atencio (Gonzalez), 76
POR: Diz Pe, 78
Misconduct Summary
POR: Barmby (Caution), 1
SEA: Brisco (Caution), 54
SEA: Ele (Caution), 87
Lineups:
POR: GK McIntosh, D Smith, D Diz Pe, D Ornstil, D Batista (Mulligan, 73), M Zambrano ©, M Lewis, M Loría, M Anguiano (Melano, 64), M Barmby, F Langsdorf (Calixtro, 88)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Mangels, D Elliot, D Phillips, F Jambga
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Langsdorf, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Langsdorf, 2); FOULS: 10 (Three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 6; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 4
SEA: GK Castro, D Ulysse, D Ele, D Hinds, D Brisco, M Kingston (Atencio, 69), M Daley, M Hopeau, M Gonzalez, M Ocampo-Chavez (Estrada, 46), F Usman
Substitutes Not Used: GK Fowler, D Rogers, M Atencio, M Burke-Gilroy
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Three players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Six players tied, 1); FOULS: 10 (Daley, 5); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 1
Referee: Bardhyl Pashaj
Assistant Referees: Corbyn May, Oscar
4th Official: Pawel Sojka
Attendance: 1,145
Weather: Clear, 84 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
