<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

Timbers beat Olimpia in Champions League

Portland gets win in CONCACAF tournament

By , Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter
Published:

PORTLAND — It turns out that the Portland Timbers don’t only make life hard on themselves in Major League Soccer.

But in their home debut in the CONCACAF Champions League, they found a second wind — and an important win.

Maximiliano Urruti scored twice and Will Johnson was a factor on three goals as the Timbers beat CD Olimpia of Honduras 4-2 on Tuesday in front of an announced crowd of 16,238 at Providence Park.

The result moves Portland into a tie atop Group 5 with Olimpia. Both clubs have points and a plus-5 goal differential.

The Timbers can be alone atop the group with a win next Tuesday against Alpha United of Guyana at Providence Park.

The win over Olimpia also means Portland can advance to the tournament quarterfinals with a draw — perhaps even a narrow loss — when it visits Olimpia on Oct. 21 to conclude the group phase.

The go-ahead goal was a bit of magic 12 minutes after halftime. Left back Michael Harrington sent a quick pass to Johnson near the top of the 18-yard box, and Johnson clipped the ball over the defense where Urruti was able to chip the ball over goalkeeper Noel Valladares.

“I was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. I saw the goalkeeper sort of lean to one side so the idea was to chip it over him,” Urruti said through an interpreter.

In the 72nd minute, defender Rauwshan McKenzie scored with a header from a looping Gaston Fernandez corner kick. That goal gave the Timbers a margin for error on a night when the visitors twice erased Portland leads.

In the first half, the Timbers twice grabbed a one-goal lead. Urruti struck first in the 11th minute. A Johnson blast from 25 yards spun put Portland up 2-1 in the 26th minute.

Olimpia answered each with set piece, first from a corner kick and just before halftime when Timbers goalkeeper Andrew Weber fumbled a long free kick.

Tuesday’s result puts the Timbers in a solid position to win their group and move into next spring’s quarterfinals. But they will not take next Tuesday’s visit by winless Alpha United for granted, coach Caleb Porter said.

“We can’t think that’s going to be a cakewalk,” Porter said. “We can’t be thinking about goal differential. Sometimes you start thinking that way and you think the game’s done, that it’s won before it’s started and that’s not the case.”

Loading...
Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter