PORTLAND, ORE. – Seattle Sounders FC 2 earned its fourth victory over Portland Timbers 2 across all competitions this season with a 2-0 result Monday night at Merlo Field. With the victory, S2 (9-5-2, 29 points) improves to a first-place tie in the USL Western Conference with defending USL Champion Sacramento Republic FC, with a game in hand. Sam Garza opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time and Pablo Rossi scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season late in the second half en route to S2’s fifth shutout win of the season.
With seconds left in the first half, Garza won a midfield ball and played it wide to Darwin Jones. Jones carried the ball to the right of the penalty area and sent a low cross that went through three defenders and found Garza waiting at the back post for a tap-in. The goal also marked Jones’ first assist for S2.
Second-half substitutes Rossi and Duncan McCormick combined in the 86th minute to make it 2-0 for the Rave Green. McCormick, who came on moments earlier, sent a through-ball to Rossi, whose touch left him with only goalkeeper Jake Gleeson to beat. The Argentine bent a right-footed shot to the far post for the goal.
Goalkeeper Charlie Lyon’s recorded his second straight shutout and fourth of the season, as well as S2’s third in four league matches. S2 now has five clean-sheets in 2015, with Troy Perkins in goal recording one against LA Galaxy II on June 11.
Ashani Fairclough made his S2 debut, replacing Jimmy Ockford at the break. The defender was acquired via trade from the Wilmington Hammerheads on June 15.
The Rave Green next faces Whitecaps FC 2 in a road fixture on July 4 (3:00 p.m. PT / live-streamed on SoundersFC.com). The two teams drew in their last meeting in Vancouver, and S2 won 4-0 in the only previous meeting, which saw a Darwin Jones hat-trick.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 |2-0| Portland Timbers 2
Monday, June 29, 2015
Venue: Merlo Field, Portland, Ore.
Attendance: 2,932
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Sam Garza (Darwin Jones) 45+’
SEA – Pablo Rossi (Duncan McCormick) 86’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
None
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Charlie Lyon, Giuliano Frano, Nick Miele, Jimmy Ockford (Ashani Fairclough 46’), Andres Correa (Choong sil Lim 64’), Sam Garza (Lorenzo Ramos 61’), Aaron Long, Amadou Sanyang, Aaron Kovar, Vic Mansaray (Pablo Rossi 76’), Darwin Jones (Duncan McCormick 85’)
Substitutes not used: RJ Noll, Nate Tongovula
Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 4
Offside: 1
Corner kicks: 4
Saves: 5
Portland Timbers 2 – Jake Gleeson, Andy Thoma, Rennico Clarke, Harrison Delbridge, Matt Rose, Tim Payne, Nick Besler (Brent Richards 64’), Blair Gavin, Blake Bodily (Steven Evans 76’), Kharlton Belmar, Fatawu Safiu (Santiago Biglieri 81’)
Substitutes not used: Justin Luthy, Seth Casiple
Total shots: 17
Shots on goal: 5
Offside: 2
Corners kicks: 4
Saves: 2
