Big loss for Timbers – Charleston uses man advantage, late goals to win 2-1 at PGE Park

Portland's playoff chances slim; a win by Minnesota or Atlanta would eliminate Wilkinson's team

By Steve Brandon

The Portland Tribune, Sep 11, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Portland's Chris Brown eyes the goal as Charleston's Nelson Akwari looks to defend Thursday night at PGE Park.

L.E. BASKOW / THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE

Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson called it a microcosm of the team’s season.

The Timbers’ 2-1 defeat at home Thursday night to the Charleston Battery was that and more. It was a major blow to Portland’s playoff chances and one of the club's hardest losses to swallow in a year full of them.

Portland had a 1-0 lead and was ruling the pitch when the referee sent off defender Cameron Dunn in the 39th minute for a phantom foul.

The fateful play came as the Battery were lining up for a short free kick. A horde of players was trying to claim space in the penalty box, as usual for that type of set piece. Suddenly, down went Charleston midfielder Ian Fuller, a veteran midfielder from Tualatin High, and out came the red card.

“He’s a cheater,” Portland coach Gavin Wilkinson would say after the game.

The Timbers had to play the remaining 60-plus minutes a man down – and they still had the better of the action.

But Charleston, which had trouble finding openings to even get off shots against Portland's defensive marking, managed to score in the 73rd and 89th minutes and leave with a win.

Shaun Higgins, who scored Portland’s goal in the 14th minute off an effort play by Chris Bagley, says some of his friends on the Battery told him after the game that “we were unlucky and they were lucky.”

And with that, it will take a lot of luck for Portland to make the playoffs.

“The stars have to align,” Timber midfielder Tom Poltl says.

One more victory by either Minnesota or Atlanta would eliminate the Timbers (7-12-10, 31 points) from contention for the seventh and final playoff spot in the 11-team USL First Division.

Seventh-place Minnesota (8-9-11, 33 points) has two games remaining. The Thunder will play host to Charleston (11-10-7, tied for fourth and guaranteed a playoff berth) on Saturday.

“They (the Battery) can do what they want in the Minnesota game,” Wilkinson says, with a sigh.

Atlanta (8-11-8, 32 points) has three games left, starting Saturday at Seattle.

The best Portland can do is get to 34 points if it wins Sept. 20 in the regular-season finale at Carolina (7-11-9, 30 points, three games to go).

Portland owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Minnesota and Atlanta, but even two ties down the stretch by the Thunder would be enough for them to get the last playoff spot. The Thunder end their regular season at home Sept. 20 against Montreal.

A Portland victory Thursday over Charleston would have put pressure on Minnesota and Atlanta – and the Silverbacks have been gasping for air in recent weeks – but the shorthanded Timbers couldn’t get the three points for a victory.

For most of Thursday's first half, it looked like Portland might beat the Battery by multiple goals and maybe even win going away, as the Timbers had in a 4-0 home romp over Miami in their most recent PGE Park outing.

“We were all over them (the Battery), getting good chances,” Portland midfielder Chris Brown says.

Losing Dunn, who was playing well in a move from central defender to left back, disrupted Portland’ momentum.

“It changed the complexion of the match,” Wilkinson says. “In the first half, I thought there were no way we were going to lose.”

It wasn’t the first time that Wilkinson and the Timbers have felt snubbed or robbed by the officials.

“Officials have decided too many games this year,” Wilkinson says, “but we shouldn’t have put ourselves in the position to let them.”

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit