PORTLAND, Ore. — Two goals from forward Tommy Heinemann in the second half, including the game-winner in the 86th minute on a penalty kick, helped the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Reserves to a 3-2 win over the Portland Timbers Reserves in MLS Reserve League play on Sunday afternoon at JELD-WEN Field.
The Timbers Reserves (4-3-2, 14pts) struck for the opening goal in the 52nd minute, initiating a span of four minutes in the second half in which three were scored. Following a penalty-kick goal by Portland’s Jose Valencia, Heinemann tallied the initial equalizer 53rd minutes later and forward Erik Hurtado would give the Whitecaps FC Reserves a 2-1 lead in the 56th minute.
The Timbers Reserves pulled level in the 81st as a free kick led to defender Rauwshan McKenzie’s first goal of the season. McKenzie was then called for a foul just inside the box that led to the decisive goal by Heinemann, setting up a penalty kick with just four minutes remaining that sealed the win.
Whitecaps FC Reserves (4-2-3, 15pts) jump into second place in the MLS Reserve League’s West Division with the win, while the Timbers Reserves fall into third.
The MLS Reserve League match between the two Cascadia rivals featured a combined 42 shots, including 20 in the second half as the run of play opened up.
The Timbers Reserves claimed a 1-0 lead six minutes into the second half. Valencia was fouled by Whitecaps FC defender Greg Klazura as he worked his way through the penalty area. Valencia stepped up to take the kick and rolled a shot along the ground into the right side of goal as Whitecaps FC goalkeeper Brad Knighton dove the other way.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Whitecaps FC Reserves responded with back-to-back goals. In the 53rd minute, midfielder Kianz Froeze charged in from the left side of the box and laid the ball off for Heinemann inside the area. Heinemann converted inside the left post from roughly 12 yards out.
Three minutes later, Hurtado, a Beaverton, Ore., native and a former member of the Portland Timbers U-23s, charged into the area from the left side, holding off Timbers defender Sal Zizzo, before slipping a shot into the far back corner of the goal.
A free kick in the 81st minute rattled around before the ball came on to the path of Zizzo just outside the penalty area on the right side. Zizzo chipped a pass into the six-yard box, where McKenzie timed his run and got his head on the ball just before Knighton could reach it, and McKenzie headed in what appeared to be the equalizing goal.
In the 84th minute, Whitecaps FC Reserves were awarded a penalty kick after McKenzie was called for a foul on Vancouver’s Gershon Koffie just inside the area. Heinemann converted the penalty kick for the team’s third and final goal of the match.
The Timbers Reserves play a home-and-home with the Real Salt Lake Reserves in their next two MLS Reserve League fixtures, including a match at JELD-WEN Field on Sunday. Sept. 8, at 6 p.m. (Pacific).
MLS Reserve League
Portland Timbers Reserves (4-3-2, 14pts) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC Reserves (4-2-3, 15pts)
Aug. 4, 2013 – JELD-WEN Field (Portland, Ore.) -
Scoring Summary
POR: Valencia (penalty kick), 52
VAN: Heinemann (Froeze), 53
VAN: Hurtado, 56
POR: McKenzie (Zizzo), 81
VAN: Heinemann (penalty kick), 86
Misconduct Summary
VAN: Koffie (Caution), 38
POR: Rincón (Caution), 58
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Milos Kocic (Jake Gleeson, 45), D Ryan Miller (Anthony Machionne^, 61), D Sal Zizzo, D Rauwshan McKenzie, D Jacob Kempf^, M Kalif Alhassan, M Ben Zemanski (Reid Baez^, 82), M Steven Evans, F Jessie Garcia^, F Jose Valencia (Niko De Vera^, 61), F Sebastián Rincón
Substitutes Not Used: n/a
TOTAL SHOTS: 24; SHOTS ON GOAL: 6; SAVES: 6; FOULS: 10; OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 4
VAN: GK Brad Knighton, D Damian Batt#, D Greg Klazura, D Kevin Cobby, D Ethan Sampson^, M Kianz Froeze^ (Aminu Abdallah, 80), M Jun Marquez Davidson, M Gershon Koffie, M Erik Hurtado (Marion Ramirez, 74), F Tommy Heinemann, F Corey Hertzog
Substitutes Not Used: GK Joe Cannon
TOTAL SHOTS: 18; SHOTS ON GOAL: 9; SAVES: 4; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 4
# indicates guest player; ** indicates U-23 player; ^ indicates academy player
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