PORTLAND, Ore. – Playing the first game of a three-match homestand, T2 fell 4-2 to Fresno FC at Merlo Field on Sunday afternoon. Forward Foster Langsdorf scored his team-leading seventh goal of 2018, while midfielder Marvin Loría tallied his second goal of the season.
Key plays
Holding a 9-7 shot advantage in the first half, T2 created a number of threatening chances early on. In the 11th minute, Loría, cutting in from the right wing onto his left foot, forced Fresno goalkeeper C.J. Cochran into a strong, diving save to his left. Three minutes later, midfielder Eryk Williamson’s corner-kick service picked out defender Bill Tuiloma, whose header was saved by Cochran at his near post.
In the 16th minute, forward Darixon Vuelto, making his fifth start of 2018, was on the receiving end of Loría’s cross from the right wing, but his header from the center of the box flashed wide of the target. Two minutes later, forward Jeremy Ebobisse’s dipping shot from distance was parried away by Cochran in the 18th minute.
Fresno took the lead in the 21st minute after forward Christian Chaney controlled a pass from midfielder Juan Pablo Caffa in the center of the penalty area, striking his shot into the top corner of the net. Three minutes later, Fresno took a 2-0 lead after Caffa converted a penalty attempt.
After T2 were awarded a penalty following a handball inside the box, Langsdorf stepped up to the spot and placed his finish into the lower left corner of the net to make a 2-1 scoreline in the 36th minute. The goal marked Langsdorf’s third penalty-kick finish of 2018, and his seventh goal overall.
Just before halftime, Vuelto dispossessed a Fresno defender inside his own box, but his shot from the left edge of the penalty area hit the side netting in the 45th minute.
Fresno FC took a 3-1 lead in the 51st after midfielder Rony Argueta finished past T2 goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh at the far post. Fresno added a fourth goal after Caffa’s chipped his free-kick attempt from just outside the 18-yard box under the crossbar in the 65th minute.
Portland cut into Fresno’s lead after Loría’s deflected free-kick from 25-yards away from goal wrong-footed Cochran and found the back of the net in the 79th minute. The goal marked Loría’s second free-kick goal of 2018.
Next Game
Next up, T2 play host to Swope Park Rangers at Merlo Field on Saturday, July 14. Beginning at 7 p.m. (Pacific), the match against Swope Park will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Postgame Quote Sheet
Timbers 2 Head Coach Cameron Knowles
General thoughts on the match…
"It's obviously disappointing. We've dropped too many points at home and it's another one to add to the list. We are at a junction in the season where it's going to be important to keep picking up points to get into that playoff picture. It's an opportunity lost."
On the importance of the goal before halftime...
“It showed character from the group to come back and get that goal back in the first half. For us to be the ones scoring it, we got ourselves into a position where we could've gotten back in the game. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it going in the second half."
On Marvin Loría's performance...
"We see in games what we see every day in training. He has a really high work rate. He applies himself all the time and has a lot of quality and desire. He works really hard and puts himself in a lot of good positions. Credit to his work ethic to battle all the way through the game and to some of the other guys as well."
On expectations heading into the team's next fixture...
"We've obviously got some things to correct so we've got to work in training and get ourselves going again.”
T2 (8-8-2, 26pts) vs. Fresno FC (6-7-7, 25pts)
July 8, 2018 – Merlo Field (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
T2 1 1 2
Fresno FC 2 2 4
Scoring Summary:
FRS: Chaney (Caffa), 21
FRS: Caffa (Penalty kick), 24
POR: Langsdorf (Penalty kick), 36
FRS: Argueta (Barrera), 51
FRS: Caffa, 65
POR: Loría, 79
Misconduct Summary
POR: Tuiloma (Caution), 64
FRS: Verhoeven (Caution), 65
Lineups:
POR: GK McIntosh, D Jadama ©, D Tuiloma, D Miller (Mulligan, 62), D Farfan, M Zambrano, M Williamson, M Loría, M Langsdorf, M Vuelto (Williams, 56), F Ebobisse
Substitutes Not Used: GK Mangels, D Hanson, D Phillips, D Smith, M Lewis
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Ebobisse, Vuelto, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Loría, 2); FOULS: 13 (Zambrano, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 2
FRS: GK Cochran, D Ellis-Hayden, D Daly, D Del Campo, D Cooper, M Verhoeven (Johnson, 75), M Argueta, M Ribeiro, M Barrera, M Caffa, F Chaney (Tayou, 81)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Reynish, D Strong, M Cazarez, M Cuevas
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Caffa, Ribeiro, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Caffa, Chaney, 2); FOULS: 18 (Ellis-Hayden, 6); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 3
Referee: Alejandro Mariscal
Assistant Referees: Corbyn May, Andrew Marihart
4th Official: Lucas Brooks
Attendance: 1,121
Weather: Clear, 82 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
