TEN-MAN CAPS DRAW IN PORTLAND

August 11, 2007 - Portland Timbers - 0
Vancouver Whitecaps - 0

PGE Park, Portland, OR
Attendance: 8652

Ten-man Vancouver Whitecaps earned a goalless away draw with USL-1 leaders Portland Timbers on Saturday evening.

The Whitecaps were forced to play more than an hour of the game a man short after left fullback Steve Kindel became the first Vancouver player to be sent off this season following an aerial challenge for the ball with Portland’s Luke Kreamalmeyer.

Though they seemingly faced an uphill battle being a man down, the Whitecaps gave a solid effort to earn a well-deserved point at PGE Park, as Portland remain undefeated at home this season with the result.

Unfortunately for Vancouver, the 0-0 draw means the club have set a new record of ten games without a victory - surpassing the previous winless streak of nine games that was set over both the 1995 and 1996 seasons.

Whitecaps head coach Bob Lilley named an unchanged side from the team that started the 1-1 home draw with Puerto Rico Islanders on August 2, with kick-off delayed by about 15 minutes following a serious incident in the nearby I-5 tunnel.

Once the game kicked off, the Timbers Army and their beloved mascot, Timber Jim, saw the home side apply early pressure on the USL-1 champions, who were playing in their away kit of blue shirts and black shorts.

The Timbers looked the more comfortable side in possession, with Portland’s ever-dangerous captain Andrew Gregor having the first chance on six minutes with a left-footed shot that curled just wide of goalkeeper Richard Goddard’s goal.

Two minutes later, the Timbers crowd made loud calls for a penalty after striker Matt Taylor stumbled to the ground in the Whitecaps box following a challenge by Vancouver defender Diaz Kambere, as referee Ian Anderson waved away any appeals.

The Whitecaps struggled to create many solid chances throughout the opening 45 minutes, but new additions Alen Marcina and Josh Hansen nearly made an opening near the midway point of the half. Unfortunately, Hansen's first touch let him down when in a dangerous close-range position.

At the other end, Gregor remained a threat for the home side, but he was left frustrated when his free-kick strike at Goddard’s goal flew wide of the target from near the edge of the Whitecaps box.

The major turning point of the game came on 26 minutes, as Kindel was shown a straight red card by referee Anderson after an aerial challenge for the ball with Portland’s Luke Kreamalmeyer at the halfway line. “I’ll have to watch the tape and see it again, but I even wonder if the challenge was worthy of a yellow card, let alone a red card,” Lilley told whitecapsfc.com after the game. “I felt Kindel used his shoulder in the challenge and not his elbow. The referee, however, decided to make a statement with the sending off.”

In the ensuing melee in front of the fourth official and both teams’ benches, Lilley verbally showed his displeasure towards his Timbers counterpart Gavin Wilkinson and the Portland coaching staff for their reaction to Kindel’s challenge. “They were screaming for a red card,” Lilley said. “I thought their behaviour was inappropriate, as I feel such things should not be part of the game. I was unhappy at the time, but Gavin and I cleared the air with a conversation after the game.”

Nonetheless, the Whitecaps faced the rest of the contest a man short, and they were lucky not to be a goal down from the ensuing free kick, as Portland’s Jaime Ambriz somehow missed the target with a low drive from the edge of the six-yard box.

Despite playing with ten men, the Whitecaps did not look out of place in the dying stages of the first half, though Goddard was a bit fortunate not to be punished for punching away his own poorly-played clearance of a Whitecaps back-pass. Gregor squandering the situation for the home side after striking the loose ball high over the Whitecaps crossbar before the halftime break.

The second half saw the Whitecaps more than hold their own wirh midfielder Martin Nash striking an effort wide of Timbers goalkeeper Josh Wicks’ goal soon after the restart.

Amazingly, both goalkeepers had not been required to make a save from a shot on goal through more than an hour of the game, but Marcina would end that statistic after forcing former Whitecaps keeper Wicks to stop his strike on the Portland goal.

Taylor then had an opportunity to have Portland’s first shot on target midway through the half, but his far-post effort from a Timbers corner on the right sailed over Goddard’s crossbar.

The Whitecaps then had solid appeals for a penalty after Timbers centre back Cameron Knowles looked to have handled the ball in his own box, but referee Anderson waved play to continue on.

On 76 minutes, long-time injury absentee Adrian Cann entered the action for Lyle Martin before referee Anderson was the centre of attention again, as he booked Timbers striker Bryan Jordan for knocking the ball into the Whitecaps goal with his hand.

As the game entered the dying stages, Whitecaps substitute Alfredo Valente forced a brilliant save from former teammate Wicks with a looping long-distance strike that the Timbers keeper had to knock away for a corner.

With five minutes of stoppage time added on, Valente then squandered another goalscoring opportunity after striking a wayward effort over the Portland crossbar from the edge of the home side’s box.

The Timbers tried to push Vancouver and claim a very late winner, but the Whitecaps held on for a gallant goalless draw in Oregon. “I thought we played well,” Lilley said of his ten men. “I thought we showed character and grit to get the result. I was not happy with the way we started the game, but we actually looked better after Kindel’s ejection.”

The result takes the Whitecaps on to 30 points from 22 games played in the USL-1 standings, while Portland see their winless streak run to six games. The Whitecaps now return home for a crucial Sunday clash with last-place Minnesota Thunder at Swangard Stadium, with Amos Magee’s side in good form after they claimed a very creditable 2-2 draw at high-flying Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.

FINAL GAME STATS

Shots: Vancouver - 5 Portland - 12
Saves: Vancouver - 1 Portand - 2
Fouls: Vancouver - 13 Portland - 16
Offsides: Vancouver - 2 Portland - 0
Corners: Vancouver - 5 Portland - 5

Referee: Ian Anderson

Cautions: Vancouver - Jeff Clarke 79’ - Portland - Bryan Jordan 80’

Ejections: Vancouver - Steve Kindel 26’

Vancouver Whitecaps:
30.Richard Goddard; 24.Lyle Martin (4.Adrian Cann 77’), 13.Geordie Lyall, 28.Diaz Kambere, 8.Steve Kindel; 7.Martin Nash (9.Alfredo Valente 77’), 2.Jeff Clarke, 14.Tony Donatelli (20.Dave Morris 57’), 17.Zé Roberto; 11.Alen Marcina (26.Jason Jordan 87’), 18.Josh Hansen (15.Jason McLaughlin 66’)

Portland Timbers:
23.Josh Wicks; 12.Leonard Griffin, 5.Justin Thompson, 6.Cameron Knowles, 17.Scot Thompson; 7.Shaun Higgins, 8.Tom Poltl (14.Neil Dombrowski 68’), 13.Andrew Gregor, 10.Luke Kreamalmeyer (15.Lawrence Olum 85’), 20.Matt Taylor (25.David Hague 77’), Jaime Ambriz (26. Bryan Jordan 63’)

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