It has pretty much been a bed of roses for Kitsap Pumas supporters in the club's young life. The Pumas lost only once in regular season PDL play last year when they finished 12-3-1 (W-D-L). This year the Pumas are gaining a reputation of having by far the largest traveling fan contingent in the Northwest Division. When the Portland Timbers U23's routed Kitsap 3:0 Saturday night at Hillsboro's Hare Stadium it was the first time many of their fans had ever seen them lose a match in the league. There were no roses for traveling Pumas fans this night, just a thorny reality check that perhaps Kitsap is the seond-best club in the division in 2010.
Pumas fans followed the club to Portland on June 5th where some of them attended their first-ever Kitsap loss in person. (David Falk)
Around thirty Pumas supporters sprinkled themselves around the opposite stand on the night, stomping feet, ringing bells, banging drums and making more noise than the youth-soccer crowd that showed up to see the U23's. Did not change the outcome one bit, though. The Timbers were quicker to the ball and to Kitsap attackers, played with confidence and looked by far the better team over much of the night. The U23's are unpaid college players who play under the Timbers banner with hopes they might catch on one day in MLS or elsewhere in the soccer world. The professional Pumas were the lesser team on the night. Portland takes over first place with a 6-0-0 record. Kitsap and Victoria are tied for second at 5-0-1 each (W-D-L).
“They outplayed us,” said goalkeeper Dustyn Brim, who was under duress much of the game. “They were the better team tonight, no doubt in my mind about it. Our will was there, but we were just not quick enough to the ball.”
Portland broke a scoreless tie in the 26th-minute, when midfielder Roberto Farfan sent a perfect through-ball to a streaking Brent Richards, who took one touch and tucked a shot just inside the left post on a low, left-footed strike from about 20 yards out.
That created the first deficit of the season for the Pumas, who entered the game having outscored their opponents 16-1. It also was the fourth goal this year for Richards, who leads Portland in goals with four.
“The problem was, we let him square up on us,” Brim said. “But it was a great ball and a great finish. We can’t let that ball get through in the first place.”
The Pumas' attack was too slow and too slow to the ball all night. Here David Gray (#4) tries to start a run. (David Falk)
Five minutes after halftime and a physical first half, the Timbers U23 doubled their lead on a goal from Ramsey, who received a cross on the right side of the box and sent in a shot from just three feet away, beating Brim to the right post.
The Pumas looked uncharacteristically out of sync, at times, on defense. First-year player Jamel Wallace started in the back for the first time this season.
Abrego finished the scoring in the 81st-minute.
“They put away their chances,” Kitsap coach Peter Fewing said. “They were skillful with the ball, very dangerous.”
Portland entered the evening unbeaten at home during regular-season matches (9-0-2) since joining the Premier Development League - with its lone loss on home turf coming against the former Seattle Wolves in the 2009 playoffs.
The 10th win in front of a home crowd may have been the biggest of them all.
“The key for us tonight was to match their intensity,” Portland coach Jim Rilatt said. “They are a good team and a physical team.”
This may have been the most physical game of the season for both sides, with five yellow cards being handed out - three to Kitsap.
See also: Portland Timbers match report Another report with photos is here.
Notes: In a physical contest, the two teams combined for 33 fouls, including a total of seven yellow cards … Gray and Hepple paced the Pumas with two shots apiece … Saturday’s match marked the fourth time this season in which the Timbers U-23s scored three or more goals in a single match … The two teams finish their regular-season series July 18 in Kitsap.
Lineups:
POR: GK Gleeson, D Dugoni, D Granger (Coelho, 86), D Crasilneck, D Kawulok, M Hasson (Nielson, 58), M Ogunyemi (Cortes, 82), M Braun, M Farfan (Abrego, 62), F Ramsey (Thompson, 74), F Richards (Drake, 87)
KIT: GK Brim, D Lee, D Scott, D Mohn (Fishbaugher, 62), D Wallace, M Gray, M Hepple, M Besagno, M Cascio, F Christner (Gordley, 86), F Phillips (Perdido, 45)
Scoring Summary:
POR: Richards (Farfan), 27
POR: Ramsey (Braun), 50
POR: Abrego (Braun), 80
Comments
"The Pumas looked uncharacteristically out of sync, at times, on defense. First-year player Jamel Wallace started in the back for the first time this season."... If it anit broke don't fix it.
Pumas are too slow up front with Phillips.
Agree with Kitsap Kid...tough loss. Would like to see Perdido. I may be biased, but I love my Maui boys! Influence with integrity.
Yeah, this one wasn't pretty. Not enough movement off the ball, everyone holding the ball too long, and a general lack of focus. Portland came out with a plan, stayed organized, and deserved the win. I think the Pumas are still looking for the right mix of midfielders, but who sits? All 8 on the roster are good enough to start. Up front, I'm hoping that Tye and Stephen are almost healthy. And that Tony Kerr gets back here soon!
Well obviously mastarna is a little lost... tony kerr, only scored penalties and had 3 goals during the run of play against the worst teams in the league last year... All I'm saying is don't mess with a solid backline when they are doing very well. I do like the phillips perdido up front idea. Philips is the most skillful player on the field and perdido could play well off of him.
Kitsap Kid- I totally agree with you about the back line. I know Tony didn't score too many goals in the run of play last season, but they had him playing at center mid-field most of the time, and I think that isn't his best position. It was good to see him as an out-and-out forward in the last game at Tacoma, and I'd just like to see what he could do up front for a run of games. But this doesn't make much difference if the back line stays shaky...
I disagree he played up front a lot during the season, but I agree he might shake things up, which is much needed cuz I feel like the Pumas are lacking character this year!
Tony Kerr is a huge miss and the character the team needs a leader and a a strong one.
phillips is plays a check to the ball role up front at the moment but he has the speed to case through balls.
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