Match Report:

By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC men suffered a 2-0 away defeat to Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers on Saturday evening.

Ryan Pore's early penalty set the Timbers on their way to their first regular season win over Vancouver since the 2007 campaign. George Josten ensured the points went to the home side after he struck the second goal shortly before halftime. The result ends the Whitecaps winning streak versus Portland at four matches, with Vancouver falling to a second-straight USL First Division regular season loss.

Unlike recent matches, the 'Caps struggled to get much command of Saturday's contest at Portland's PGE Park, with an improved Timbers side looking more incisive at crucial intervals during the weekend match-up.

Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made two changes from the side that started last Wednesday's 1-0 home win over Montreal Impact in the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Both changes came in the visitors' backline, with Wesley Charles returning from a suspension in the midweek match-up to partner former Timbers defender Justin Thompson in the centre of the 'Caps defence. Charles replaced fellow centre back Jeff Parke, who was on Vancouver's substitutes' bench. The other defensive change saw Mason Trafford take the place of Takashi Hirano at left fullback.

Timbers head coach Gavin Wilkinson, meanwhile, made three changes to the side that started last Sunday's 2-1 victory at Puerto Rico Islanders. Stephen Keel and Scot Thompson replaced Mamadou Danso and Takuro Nishimura in Portland's backline, while in attack, Josten replaced Keith Savage to partner last week's USL-1 Player of the Week Mandjou Keita up front for the home side.

On a hot late spring evening for soccer in The City of Roses, the Whitecaps endured a difficult start to proceedings by losing one of their key players to an early injury. Winger Justin Moose went down with an ankle problem on four minutes and was not able to return, with Lyle Martin replacing the former D.C. United player on the right-hand side of midfield four minutes later.

On six minutes, Vancouver found themselves a goal behind. The Timbers were awarded a penalty in controversial circumstances after Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly had brought down midfielder Johan Claesson on the edge of the visitors' box. Though the foul looked to have been made outside of the box, match referee Hidajet Tica immediately pointed to the penalty spot before booking Nolly for his indiscretion. Pore stepped up to beat the Vancouver number one with his spot kick for a 1-0 Portland lead.

Thompson was disappointed with the referee's decision to award the early penalty. "It was a huge call," the centre back told whitecapsfc.com after the match. "I thought Claesson was five or six yards outside the box, so it certainly looked dubious. However, we can't make excuses, as Portland were the better team on the day and deserved the win."

As disappointing as it was to be a goal behind, the 'Caps did well to press forward and play some decent soccer in midfield during the first half. On eight minutes, Charles struck a tame shot into the arms of Timbers goalkeeper Steve Cronin before winger Ansu Toure drilled a shot high and wide of the target after taking a pass from Martin Nash six minutes later.

The contest then evened up in terms of chances at both ends, with Pore striking a shot wide of goal on 21 minutes for Portland, while at the other end, substitute Martin forced a save from Cronin three minutes later.

The Timbers were a threat coming forward at times. On 33 minutes, Brian Farber could not direct David Hayes' cross on target at the far post before Martin missed the net for the Whitecaps a minute later after Marcus Haber did well to beat Hayes on the right and reach the Portland backline before finding his teammate with a cutback pass.

Vancouver's best chance of the half then came on 38 minutes, but Haber was unable to hit the target at close range after his strike partner Charles Gbeke did well to find him in the Timbers box.

That miss proved costly for the Blue and White, as Portland extended their lead on 41 minutes through Josten. The Timbers striker was able to dispossess a retreating Trafford in the Whitecaps half before dashing in on goal and finishing past Nolly for 2-0.

The frustration of being two goals down soon showed on the visitors' faces, with Wes Knight taking real exception to Pore's robust challenge on him at the halfway line. As a result, both players were subsequently booked by referee Tica on 43 minutes.

The last chance of the half fell to the 'Caps, but Toure was unable to keep his effort on target after Gbeke found him with a back-heeled pass in the two minutes of time added on.

It meant both sides went to the halftime break, with Portland in a comfortable two-goal lead.

The early stages of the second half saw the Timbers look the more likely to extend their lead. On 49 minutes, Guinean striker Keita thought he had scored Portland's third goal after beating Charles in the air for the ball and eluding the onrushing Nolly before slotting the ball into an empty net. Unfortunately for him, referee Tica saw the forward use his hand in the process of his attack. Three minutes later, Cameron Knowles headed Hayes' corner from the right over Nolly's crossbar.

The Whitecaps backline were then forced to make two big defensive plays to deny the Timbers on the break, with Portland beating the Vancouver offside trap on both occasions. Charles did well to cut out Farber's run and low cross in the 'Caps box on 53 minutes before Knight was equal to his teammate's efforts when he cleared Josten's run and cross two minutes later.

With the visitors struggling to get back into the contest, Thordarson made two changes on 57 minutes. Gordon Chin replaced Gage in central midfield, while youngster Dever Orgill replaced Gbeke in attack.

It changed little in terms of the flow of play, with Josten striking a turn and shot over the Vancouver crossbar on 64 minutes before Keita beat the Whitecaps offside trap again four minutes later, but he squandered the opportunity to convert at close range. Moments later, the Portland forward was replaced by former Whitecaps striker Jason McLaughlin.

Where the 'Caps had a bit more bite to their attack in the first half, they struggled to make the same kind of inroads after halftime. One of their better second-half opportunities came on 76 minutes, but Orgill's deflected shot struck Cronin's side-netting for a subsequent 'Caps corner.

In fact, the Timbers created the last real opening of the match on 83 minutes, as McLaughlin's fine cross-field ball found fellow substitute Takayuki Suzuki on the left-hand side. The Japanese forward was then able to set himself up, but his strike rolled just wide of the far post.

A further two minutes of time added on were played, but it made no difference to scoreline, as Portland not only ended a four-match losing streak to the Whitecaps, they extended their unbeaten run in USL-1 to seven matches.


Thordarson was frank in his assessment of Saturday's events in Oregon. "We were definitely not good tonight, that was clear," he said after the match. "Our defensive shape was very bad, as the backline seemed all over the place tonight. I certainly did not like what I saw, and that is worrying, because we have a big game coming up on Tuesday. We'll just have to re-group and re-focus, and be ready for Tuesday night."

The Whitecaps will quickly re-group and prepare for Tuesday's crucial match in the Canadian Championship at Swangard Stadium. They host Major League Soccer club Toronto FC in their final game of the three-club tournament, with Vancouver needing a victory to have any chance of winning the Voyageurs Cup and Canada's lone spot in the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League. Portland, meanwhile, turn straight around and play the reserve side of Mexican giants Club America on Sunday before hosting Canada's other USL-1 club in Montreal Impact on Thursday night at PGE Park.

Scoring Summary:
6' - POR - Ryan Pore (penalty)
41' - POR - George Josten

Match Stats:
Shots: Vancouver 12 - Portland 14
Saves: Vancouver 5 - Portland 6
Fouls: Vancouver 13 - Portland 13
Offsides: Vancouver 1 - Portland 7
Corners: Vancouver 7 - Portland 3

Cautions:
6' - VAN - Jay Nolly
43' - POR - Ryan Pore
43' - VAN - Wes Knight
72' - POR - Scot Thompson
74' - VAN - Wesley Charles

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Jay Nolly; 4.Justin Thompson, 6.Wesley Charles, 8.Wes Knight, 18.Mason Trafford (22.Takashi Hirano 68'); 7.Martin Nash, 16.Ansu Toure (25.Tyrell Burgess 74'), 19.Justin Moose (24.Lyle Martin 7'), 20.Ethan Gage (28.Gordon Chin 56'); 14.Marcus Haber, 98.Charles Gbeke (11.Dever Orgill 56')

Subs not used: 99.Diego, 27.Jeff Parke

Portland Timbers
0.Steve Cronin; 5.David Hayes, 6.Cameron Knowles, 16.Stephen Keel, 17.Scot Thompson; 4.Brian Farber (18.Alex Nimo 74'), 11.Johan Claesson, 12.Tony McManus, 23.Ryan Pore (30.Takayuki Suzuki 79'); 10.Mandjou Keita (14.Jason McLaughlin 67'), 19.George Josten (22.Keith Savage 77')

Subs not used: 24.Brian Visser, 7.Shaun Higgins, 98.Mamadou Danso