PORTLAND, Ore. – Playing the final game of a two-game homestand, T2 fell 4-1 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Merlo Field on Sunday afternoon. Midfielder Harold Hanson tallied his first professional goal, while defender Modou Jadama registered his first assist of 2018.
Key plays
T2 nearly took an early lead when midfielder Darixon Vuelto played a bicycle-kick pass into the center of the box to forward Augustine Williams, but his volleyed attempt was shot over the crossbar in the second minute.
Racing down the right flank, defender Jimmy Mulligan floated a cross into the center of the box to Williams, whose header flashed over the crossbar in the 17th minute.
One minute later, T2 scored the opening goal of the match after Jadama played a 70-yard ball over the top of the Switchbacks defense that fell to the feet of Hanson. Taking a touch just outside the 18-yard box, Hanson chipped the ball over Switchbacks FC goalkeeper Steward Ceus into the back of net to give Portland a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.
In the 20th minute, midfielder Andre Lewis’ corner-kick service picked out Jadama, but his header was saved by Ceus. Just before the halftime break, midfielder Darixon Vuelto’s shot from the left egde of the penalty area was parried aside by Ceus in the 44th minute.
Switchbacks FC equalized in the 51st minute after midfielder Josh Burt curled his right-footed shot from the top of the box past T2 goalkeeper Alex Mangels’ near post. Four minutes later, Burt gave Colorado Springs a 2-1 lead after striking his shot from the center of the box off the underside of the crossbar in the 55th minute.
Colorado Springs extended its lead to 3-1 in the 71st minute after forward Martin Maybin powered his way down the right side the of penalty area, firing his shot into the side netting. Eight minutes later, second-half substitute AJ Ajeakwa was played in behind the T2 defense by defender Josh Suggs, placing his shot past the outstretched arms of Mangels at his far post in the 79th minute.
In the 87th minute, midfielder Marvin Loría, who finished the match with a game-high four chances created, fired his free-kick attempt from just outside the 18-yard box inches over the crossbar.
Next Game
Next up, T2 travel to face Reno 1868 FC at Greater Nevada Field on Saturday, June 30. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match against Reno 1868 FC will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Postgame Quote Sheet
T2 head coach Cameron Knowles
On his thoughts after the loss...
“I think we started the game well. I mean we challenged them with starting well, we knew our last home match we didn’t start the game well and we were maybe a little bit casual in the way we came out. I think the guys responded and started really, really well. We scored a goal to go ahead, but we could have been up I think three or four goals coming in at halftime. We’re going to have to go back and look at what happened in that second half. I mean, I take responsibility for that, for failing to preparing the team to build on that lead.”
On the upcoming road match against Reno 1868 FC…
“Well we’ve got some time, which is good. We’ve had a difficult stretch of games and difficult travels, so we get to hit the reset button a little bit, take our time reflecting to get through this difficult stretch and put it behind us and then start building towards the next game.”
T2 (8-6-2, 26pts) vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (6-8-2, 20pts)
June 17, 2018 – Merlo Field (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
T2 1 0 1
Switchbacks FC 0 4 4
Scoring Summary:
POR: Hanson (Jadama), 18
COS: Burt (Hanlin), 51
COS: Burt (Hanlin), 55
COS: Maybin (Malcolm), 71
COS: Ajeakwa (Suggs), 79
Misconduct Summary
COS: Schweizer (Caution), 34
POR: Zambrano (Caution), 36
POR: Phillips (Caution), 49
COS: Hamilton (Caution), 83
COS: Eboussi (Caution) 86
Lineups:
POR: GK Mangels, D Mulligan, D Phillips © (Batista, 80), D Jadama, D Smith, M Zambrano, M Lewis, M Hanson (Jambga, 73), M Loría, M Vuelto, F Williams
Substitutes Not Used: GK Pack, D Diz Pe, D Ornstil, M Lowe
TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Williams, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players tied, 1); FOULS: 11 (Zambrano, 4); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 1
COS: GK Ceus, D Hunter, D Eboussi, D Jack, D Suggs, M Burt, M Scweitzer, M Hamilton, M Hanlin (Robinson, 67), F Malcolm, F Maybin (Ajeakwa, 73)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Pouaty, F Uzo
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Burt, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Burt, 2); FOULS: 18 (Burt, Eboussi, 4); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 3
Referee: Chipalo Street
Assistant Referees: Joshua Haimes, Seth Martin
4th Official: JJ Blodgett
Attendance: 1,798
Weather: Sunny, 87 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
