The Sounders were undone by a late Timbers strike in their first reserve league match of the season.
SEATTLE, Wash. - Jose Valencia scored the late game-winner as Seattle Sounders FC fell to the Portland Timbers, 1-0, in the 2013 MLS Reserve League on Sunday evening. The match was the first of 12 for Sounders FC reserves this season, including five more home matches at Starfire Stadium.
Valencia scored the game's lone goal in the 86th minute. Following a corner kick, the ball was knocked around in a scrum in the box and Steven Evans found Valencia six-yards out, and he slotted it inside the far netting for the game-winner.
Minutes after Valencia's goal, Seattle's Phillip Lund headed a corner kick on goal but it bounced off the post before rolling across the endline.
Seattle started quick with a quality chance in the 18th minute when Zach Scott found a streaking Leo Gonzalez on the left flank. Gonzalez sent a cross into the box where Lund struck a left-footed volley that rolled wide of the far post.
Portland's Kalif Alhassan was dangerous throughout the opening 45 minutes, finding Frederic Piquionne twice in the box. In the 20th minute, Alhassan played Piquionne into the box but his cross was intercepted by Gonzalez. Four minutes later, Alhassan sent a cross to Piquionne in front of goal but Marcus Hahnemann jumped off his line to smother the ball.
Sounders FC had two chances at the start of the second half. In the 48th minute, Alex Caskey took a ball from Eriq Zavaleta but his chip shot was tipped over the crossbar by a diving Jake Gleeson.
Sounders FC Academy player Jordan Morris curled a shot from the top of the box in the 54th minute but it missed wide of the far post. Morris had another scoring change in the 76th minute on a breakaway but his shot from 12 yards hit the side netting.
Hahnemann made seven saves for Seattle, including an early stop on Piquionne in the 7th minute as well as a save on Steven Evans from the top of the box in the 66th minute.
Seattle's next regular season match is on Saturday against the San Jose Earthquakes at 7:30 p.m. PT from Buck Shaw Stadium.
Scoring Summary:
POR - Jose Valencia (Steven Evans) 86'
Seattle Sounders FC - Marcus Hahnemann, Dylan Remick, Ashani Fairclough, Zach Scott, Leo Gonzalez (Andrew Duran 46'), Phillip Lund, Servando Carrasco, Alex Caskey, Lamar Neagle, David Estrada (Jordan Morris 46'), Eriq Zavaleta (Henry Wingo 72').
Substitutes Not Used:Josh Ford, Ike Crook, Duncan McCormick, Fernando Monge.
Portland Timbers - Milos Kocic (Jake Gleeson 46'), Ryan Miller, Ryan Kawulok (Kazuya Murata 67'), Dylan Tucker-Gangnes, Kyle Altman, Kalif Alhassan, Steven Evans, Michael Nanchoff, Frederic Piquionne (Sebastian Rincon 46'), Jose Valencia (Christian Desir 89'), Rodney Wallace (Mobi Fehr 46').
Substitutes Not Used: Foster Langodorf, Cameron Chestnutt.
