It is said that when you try something new for the first time, it is usually the toughest but yet most memorable one. Well after last night’s exciting match, it seems like the expansion Portland Timbers will not soon forget the El Paso Patriots. The Patriots welcomed the Timbers into the A-League by handing them a 2-1 overtime loss. Portland’s first game ever in the A-League was played in front of 3,198 spectators at El Paso’s Student Activities Complex.
The first half consisted of a physical and aggressive style of play. As a result, six yellow cards (two of which resulted in a red card) were issued throughout the game, four of them in the fist half alone. Both the Patriots and Timbers began the first half running up and down the field, trading scoring chances. In fact, the Portland Timbers looked like a veteran team that had been around for years, rather than an expansion team playing their first game in history. The Timbers up tempo and aggressive style paid off in the 21st minute when midfielder Brian Kelly redirected a deflected shot from Mark Baena to score the first goal in team history. However, the Timbers celebration was short lived. The El Paso Patriots scored the tying goal in the 23rd minute when Carlos Farias put in an unassisted shot into the back of net from 18 yards out. The physical play then took over as both teams received two yellow cards a piece. Rough tackles resulted in Patriot players Justin Pratt & Gustavo Leal and Vadim Tostolutsky & Brent Sancho of the Timbers receiving yellow cards. After an exciting and entertaining half, the score was tied at 1-1.
After having started the second half, the Patriots found themselves in a defensive position. Still, the Patriots did have a couple of offensive shots. However, the physical play from the first half must have taken its toll, because the Pat’s looked tired and as if they had ran out of gas. In the 25th minute of the second half, Mike Rowland entered the game for Victor Omar Mora. The physical play continued in the second half with more hard tackles being made by both teams. Scott Benedetti became the third Timbers’ player to receive a card. Then to make matters worse, Vadim Tostolutsky received his second yellow card of the game after a hard late tackle on El Paso’s Carlos Farias. So for the second time in as many games, the Patriot’s were going to play part of the second half with a one man advantage. In the 42nd minute of the second half, El Paso midfielder Jose Barrajas entered the game for Jose Lomeli. However, with a one man advantage and a pair of fresh legs, the Patriots were unable to capitalize. Regulation time ended with a 1-1 tie.
After a sloppy second half, the El Paso Patriots began to prepare for extra time. Both teams had their chances to end the game with a golden goal. Just when it looked like the game was going to head into a second overtime period, Patriot forward Gustavo Leal headed a cross from Mark Rowland in the 100th minute into the back of the net. The goal sparked a rowdy celebration among the crowd that even included two sets of firework displays. Next up for El Paso is their first road trip of the season when they go to the Grand Canyon state for a pair of US Open Cup qualifying matches May 5 and 6.
Portland Timbers 1 21st - Brian Kelly (Baena)
El Paso Patriots 2 23rd - Carlos Farias
100th - Gustavo Leal (Rowland)
Cards
El Paso - Gustavo Leal; yellow
Justin Pratt; yellow
Portland - Vadim Tostolutsky; red (after two yellows in the game)
Brent Sancho; yellow
Scott Benedetti; yellow
Attendance - 3,198
Portland Timbers
GK Matt Napolean
D Jesus Ochoa
D Brent Sancho
D Gavin Wilkinson
D Scott Benedetti
M Brian Winters
M Vadim Tostolutsky
M Bryan Kelly
M Darnen Sawstsky
F Tony McPeak
F Mark Baena
El Paso Patriots
GK Jesse Yamas
D Carlos Martinez
D Severo Hernandez
D Michael Griego
M Jose Lomeli (sub: Jose Barrajas - 87th)
M Esmundo Rodriguez
M Carlos Farias
M Victor Mora (sub: Mark Rowland - 70th)
M Justin Pratt
F Gustavo Leal
F Luis Macias
