PORTLAND, Ore. – Defender Anthony Wallace scored the game’s lone goal as the Colorado Rapids Reserves defeated the Portland Timbers Reserves, 1-0, in Colorado's final MLS Reserve League match of the year, played before 5,679 fans at JELD-WEN Field on Saturday night.
The Rapids Reserves (5-7-2, 17pts) had the Timbers Reserves (4-6-3, 15pts) under pressure in the early stages of the second half and found the go-ahead strike in the 60th minute. Midfielder Jaime Castrillon played a centering pass to Wallace in space 25 yards out from goal, and Wallace ripped a shot into the top right corner for his first goal of the MLS Reserve League season, giving the Rapids Reserves the victory in their season finale.
Led by six shots from Wallace, the Rapids Reserves had a 20-7 advantage in shots and attempted 10 corner kicks. Timbers goalkeeper Jake Gleeson was called upon to make eight saves, five of which came in the second half.
The Rapids Reserves generated 12 of their shots in the first half, and Gleeson made three saves as the two teams entered halftime scoreless. Gleeson recorded a pair of saves around the 20 minute mark on shots by midfielder Tony Cascio from inside the penalty area. In first-half stoppage time, Wallace unleashed a low, driven shot from distance that Gleeson parried away.
The Timbers Reserves had quality looks on goal late in the first half. Forward Jose Valencia had a charging run on goal broken up by Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens in the 34th minute. Midfielder Ben Zemanski set up forward Frederic Piquionne, seeing his first game action since sustaining an injury Aug. 3, for a clean look on goal in the 36th minute that forced Pickens to the ground for the save. Midfielder Kalif Alhassan weaved his way through the left side of the Rapids Reserves box in the 39th minute before firing a shot wide of the near post.
The Timbers Reserves had chances to take the lead early in the second half, with shots by both Valencia and Alhassan from just outside the top left corner of the box curling wide of the far post in the 48th and 53rd minutes, respectively. Valencia had another quality look in the 78th minute off a quick counter, and his firmly hit shot narrowly missed the top right corner of the goal.
The Rapids Reserves continued to find shots on goal in the second half. Midfielder Kamani Hill had an overhead shot that bounced in on goal that Gleeson saved just before Wallace’s goal. Gleeson made a diving save on a shot by Cascio from just beyond the top of the box in the 69th minute, and then another stop a minute late on a firmly struck ball by forward Deshorn Brown from the top right corner of the area.
At halftime, Unified Special Olympics teams from Oregon and Colorado, each wearing kits from their respective MLS clubs, squared off in a special small-sided match on the pitch at JELD-WEN Field.
The Timbers Reserves play host to the Seattle Sounders FC Reserves in their 2013 MLS Reserve League finale Monday, Oct. 14, at JELD-WEN Field at 2 p.m. (Pacific).
MLS Reserve League
Portland Timbers Reserves (4-6-3, 15pts) vs. Colorado Rapids Reserves (5-7-2, 17pts)
Sept. 21, 2013 – JELD-WEN Field (Portland, Ore.)
Scoring Summary
COL: Wallace (Castrillon), 60
Misconduct Summary
POR: Ring (Caution), 12
COL: Mera (Caution), 40
COL: Griffiths (Caution), 57
COL: Ford (Caution), 90
POR: GK Jake Gleeson, D David Horst, D Rauwshan McKenzie, D Andrew Jean-Baptiste (Foster Langsdorf^, 82), D Alex Segovia, M Kalif Alhassan (Anthony Macchione^, 77), M Ben Zemanski (Reid Baez^, 89), M Brad Ring, F Jose Valencia, F Sebastián Rincón, F Frederic Piquionne (Jacob Kempf^, 45)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Milos Kocic
TOTAL SHOTS: 7; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; FOULS: 10; OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 8
COL: GK Matt Pickens, D Luke Vercollone#, D German Mera, D Brenton Griffiths, D Anthony Wallace, M Jaime Castrillon, M Nathan Sturgis (Dillon Serna, 28), M Kamani Hill, F Tony Cascio, F Deshorn Brown (Kortne Ford^, 76), F Danny Mwanga
Substitutes Not Used: n/a
TOTAL SHOTS: 20; SHOTS ON GOAL: 9; FOULS: 17; OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 1
* indicates Academy player; # indicates trialist/guest player
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
