PORTLAND, Ore. – In Week 21 of the USL season, T2 fell 4-1 to Phoenix Rising FC at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon. Defender Marco Farfan scored his first goal as a professional for T2 in the loss.
Timbers on loan
Eight Portland Timbers players made appearances for T2 in the match. Midfielder Tomás Conechny made his T2 and USL debut in the match, finishing the match with a team-high three chances created in 61 minutes of action in his debut for the club. Defender Bill Tuiloma played 90 minutes in his fourth start of the USL campaign, while defender Roy Miller made his sixth start of the season.
Key plays
Phoenix Rising FC took an early 1-0 lead in the eighth minute after forward Chris Cortez headed midfielder Alessandro Riggi’s corner kick service past T2 goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh at his near post.
Holding an 18-8 shot advantage in the match, T2 created a number of scoring chances. After accelerating past Phoenix defender Amadou Dia down the right flank, T2 midfielder Marvin Loría cut inside onto his left foot and fired his shot just over the crossbar in the 26th minute.
Receiving the ball from midfielder Renzo Zambrano at the top of the box, Conechny turned and unleashed a dipping, left-footed shot that missed wide past the target in the 30th minute. Four minutes later, on the ensuing counter attack, Conechny played in Jeremy Ebobisse on the edge of the penalty area, but his strong, left-footed effort was parried away by goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski. In the 39th minute, Loría found himself in space, but his shot from distance was scooped up by Woszczynski.
Continuing to look for an equalizer, T2 threatened the Phoenix goal when the ball fell to Loría on the edge of the penalty area, but his low shot was saved in the 53rd minute. Four minutes later, Conechny’s left-footed shot from 35 yards away from goal missed wide past the post.
Rising FC took a 2-0 lead when midfielder Collin Fernandez was first to a loose ball inside the box and volleyed his finish past McIntosh in the 63rd minute. T2 nearly scored in the 68th minute when Loría delivered a cross into the box that found Ebobisse, but his header just missed over the crossbar.
After Foster Langsdorf’s penalty attempt was saved by Woszczynski, Farfan’s tap-in at the near post made a 2-1 score line in the 72nd minute.
Two minutes later, Tuiloma’s dipping shot from 30 yards away from goal just missed over the crossbar in the 74th minute.
Phoenix took a 3-1 lead in the 82nd minute after Cortez’s finish in the six-yard box, before taking a 4-1 lead in the 89th minute behind midfielder Solomon Asante’s volleyed goal inside the penalty area.
In the 93rd minute, Jack Barmby’s deflected shot from inside the penalty area was saved by Woszczynski. Two minutes later, Tuiloma was on the receiving end of Barmby’s cross, but his header on the edge of the six-yard box hit the near post. With the final kick of the game, Langdorf’s penalty attempt was saved by Woszczynski in the 97th minute.
Next Game
Next up, T2 travel to face Swope Park Rangers at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday, Aug. 11. Beginning at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Postgame Quote Sheet
T2 Head Coach Cameron Knowles
On his thoughts after the loss…
“Incredibly disappointing, we have not done well enough with results at home and that much is clear. We’re likely to pick up points on the road, but we better tighten it up at home for sure.”
On midfielder Tomás Conechny’s USL and T2 debut…
“Tomás had a good performance, it’s his first time with the group and he’s never played with these guys before so for him to settle in and created chances and played the way he did, it’s definitely an encouraging sign. It’s his first game in a while, so it’s good for him to get some minutes under his belt.”
On the team heading into next week’s road match at Swope Park Rangers…
“Swope is a good team and obviously a good team at home as well. There are no easy games left in the season and there were none to begin the season. We’re a very good team on the road and it’s going to be important now that we go on the road and pick up all three points.”
T2 (10-10-3, 33pts) vs. Phoenix Rising FC (12-5-5, 41pts)
Aug. 5, 2018 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
T2 0 1 1
Phoenix Rising FC 1 3 4
Scoring Summary:
PHX: Cortez (Riggi), 8
PHX: Fernandez, 63
POR: Farfan, 72
PHX: Cortez, 82
PHX: Asante (Cortez), 89
Misconduct Summary
PHX: Cortez (Caution), 69
PHX: Musa (Caution), 85
PHX: Johnson (Caution), 90+1
Lineups:
POR: GK McIntosh, D Mulligan, D Tuiloma, D Miller © (Anguiano, 89), D Farfan, M Zambrano, M Lewis, M Loría, M Conechny (Langsdorf, 61), M Barmby, F Ebobisse (Williams, 74)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Mangels, D Diz Pe, D Ornstil, D Smith
TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Ebobisse, Loría, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Langsdorf, Loría, 2); FOULS: 14 (Barmby, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 1
PHX: GK Woszczynski, D Dubose, D Mala (Farrell, 61), D da Fonte, D Dia, M Lambert, M Fernandez (Musa, 70), M Vega, F Asante, F Riggi (Johnson, 85), F Cortez
Substitutes Not Used: GK Lubin, D Wakasa, F Forbes, F Frater
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Ebobisse, Loría, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Langsdorf, Loría, 2); FOULS: 13 (Dia, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 6
Referee: Mike Hohnholz
Assistant Referees: Cephas Quartson, CJ Koll
4th Official: Andrew Marihart
Attendance: 1,536
Weather: Sunny, 75 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
