COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Playing their 10th match on the road during the 2017 USL regular season, T2 fell 4-1 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field on Saturday night.
Colorado Springs (8-8-6, 30pts) took the lead in the 13th minute when midfielder Shane Malcolm fired a shot from inside the penalty area into the lower left corner of the net. Switchbacks FC doubled their lead four minutes later when defender Josh Suggs’ shot from the left side of the 18-yard box was struck into the far corner of net in the 17th minute. Colorado Springs tacked on another goal when forward Kevaughn Frater slotted home a rebound off the post from inside the six-yard box to give his side a 3-0 lead in the 34th minute. The home side took a 4-0 lead in the second half when midfielder Mastanabal Kacher placed his shot from the center of the box into the back of the net in the 51st minute.
T2 (2-16-3, 9pts) recorded their lone goal of the match when second-half substitute Augustine Williams beat his defender down the right flank and whipped in a low cross into the box, that defender Connor Bevans redirected into his own net in the 89th minute.
Holding a 10-8 shot advantage in the second half, T2 created a number of scoring chances. Midfielder Villyan Bijev dribbled along the touchline, and his shot from a tight angle was kick-saved by Colorado Springs goalkeeper Moise Pouaty at the near post in the 49th minute. In the 64th minute, midfielder Max Ornstil’s dipping shot from the edge of the 18-yard box was fired inches over the crossbar. Midfielder Bill Tuiloma’s dipping free-kick attempt from 35-yards out forced Pouaty into a strong save in the 78th minute. After earning a corner kick, Midfielder Omar Mohamed’s delivery picked out forward Jeremy Ebobisse, and his shot from the right edge of the box was fired past the near post in the 85th minute.
Continuing on the attack, second-half substitute Russell Cicerone played a lofted cross into the box that found defender Kyle Bjornethun, and his diving header was saved by Pouaty at his near post in the 87th minute. In stoppage time, Portland was awarded a penalty after Switchbacks FC defender was whistled for a handball inside the box. Mohamed stepped up to take the penalty, but his right-footed effort was saved by a diving Pouaty.
In the first half, Ebobisse’s long-range attempt was fired over the crossbar in the 14th minute. In space on the edge of the 18-yard box, midfielder Victor Arboleda’s right-footed effort missed the target in the 20th minute. Driving down the left flank, Bjornethun delivered a low-bouncing cross to Bijev on the edge of the box, and his half-volleyed shot was fired just wide of the near post in the 32nd minute. After Mohamed was fouled inside the box, Bijev’s ensuing penalty kick attempt in the 37th minute was punched over the crossbar by Pouaty.
Next up, T2 return home to host Sacramento Republic FC at Providence Park on Sunday, Aug. 13; kickoff is set for 2 p.m. (Pacific).
The Aug. 13 match will also be available via a live, high-definition web stream at www.timbers2.com.
Postgame Quote Sheet
T2 head coach Andrew Gregor
On his overall thoughts on the match…
“It’s a disappointing result for sure. We did not start the game well at all. We knew what Colorado Springs wanted to do. They wanted to be direct and put us under pressure. We knew we were going to have to battle and have to manage the counter, and we were going to have to defend pretty well. We didn’t do a good job of it, so we got punished for it.”
On the team’s scoring chances…
“I thought throughout the entire match, when we decided to take care of the ball and make good decisions, we could break them down. We had a couple really good opportunities in the first half and usually you should take those away from home and you’d be in a good spot.”
On heading into next Sunday’s home match against Sacramento Republic FC…
“Sacramento is a good team, much like Colorado Springs. They’re an older, more experienced team. Sacramento is going to play a little bit more and they’re going to want to get on the ball. It’s going to be a difficult game for us. We’re going to have to circle back around and let this game be forgotten as quick as it can so that we can move on and get focused for Sacramento.”
T2 (2-16-3, 9pts) vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (8-8-6, 30pts)
Aug. 5, 2017 – Weidner Field (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
T2 0 1 1
Colorado Springs 3 1 4
Scoring Summary
COS: Malcom (McFarlane), 13
COS: Suggs (Vercollone), 18
COS: Frater, 34
COS: Kacher (Vercollone), 51
POR: Bevans (Own Goal), 89
Misconduct Summary
POR: Hanson (Caution), 46
POR: Tuiloma (Caution), 58
COS: Phillips (Caution), 90+4
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK McIntosh ©, D Hanson, D Clarke, D Amick, D Bjornethun, M Tuiloma, M Ornstil (Cicerone, 72), M Arboleda (Calixtro, 88), M Bijev, M Mohamed, F Ebobisse (Williams, 88)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Hamilton, D Batista, D Jimenez, M Lowe
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Bijev, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Bijev, 3); FOULS: 13 (Amick, Tuiloma, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4
COS: GK Pouaty, D Bevans, D McFarlane, D Phillips, D Suggs, M Argueta ©, M Kim, M Malcolm, M Vercollone (Marcu, 67), M Kacher (King, 72), F Frater
Substitutes Not Used: GK Jackson, D Armstrong, D Eboussi, M Prujh, F Jones
TOTAL SHOTS: 19 (Frater, 10); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Frater, 5); FOULS: 22 (Phillips, 5; OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 5
Referee: Miguel Urbina-Barrios
Assistant Referees: Lauren Parliament, Elias Anosov
4th Official: Devin Wagner
Attendance: 3,623
Weather: Cloudy, 73 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
