Final 2012 Timbers game: the live experience

It was a historical day in the Rose City today. The crowd at Jeld-Wen Field saw the San Jose Earthquakes' striker Chris Wondolowski tie for the most goals scored during regular season (27), a record set by Roy Lassiter during the inaugural MLS season back in 1996. The goal came from a soft penalty kick on a bad call by the referee in response to Steven Lenhart's apparent foul by Donovan Rickets.

Regardless of the method, Wondolowski got his 27th goal and will go down in history as one of the most consistent goal-scorers the league has ever seen. He has now been the top scorer in MLS for two seasons: 2010 and 2012 and has amassed 64 goals for San Jose.

As for the Timbers, this was a different kind of game. Without a post-season to play for and Cascadia Cup already won, this was more of an exhibition game in which the players kept on performing for the sake of maintaining a high profile on the wake of Caleb Porter's arrival as the new head coach. There was little flow through the middle of the park, with Chara constantly being blocked and Nagbe largely ineffective for long periods of the game. Steve Smith provided a spark on the left side and Bright Dike always looked dangerous, if without as many chances, although his perseverance allowed for Portland's tying goal that left the final score 1-1.

The real winner today was the crowd. We sat at a completely different vantage point at the stadium today, closer to the Timbers Army. This provided great views of most of the field and kept us dry from the drenching Pacific rains. The best part, as always, was the atmosphere. Every seat was full even though this game didn't matter competitively, even though it rained heavily at times, even though there were a myriad college football games to watch on TV. 

Jeld-Wen field is a magical place. Outside, its creeping vines rise up the walls above the front gates and turn a pinkish orange tint with autumn. Inside, the crowds smile and you can see babies and children carried by their parents. You also see the more raucous groups belonging to the Timbers Army or the casual group of avid fans. It is a place of diversity where soccer is king. This city, after all, is Soccer City USA.

Thanks, Portland Timbers, for another season of memories.

Portland Timbers vs Vancouver Whitecaps: The live experience

The Cascadia Cup sets the stage for a magical mini tournament in the best soccer region in North America: The Pacific Northwest. The teams are the Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders, and the best attendance records in the league. The FutbolUSA desk was granted the opportunity to watch the match at Jeld-Wen field and the teams did not disappoint. True, as local Timbers followers, the 1-1 final score wasn't the best. But it was the experience that counted.

Today the skies were clear to begin the match and the pitch was a deep, bright green that some in our company thought was artificial grass. Nope, the real thing. The crowds of the Northwest are exemplified by the boisterous Timbers Army and the small band of Vancouver followers. The ride on the MAX was full of chants from supporters of both clubs. The General Attendance sector--Timbers Army territory--never quieted down, relented or were subdued by the weather or Vancouver's tying goal.

John Spencer was quoted as saying his team had played some of the best football this season, and the Scott is correct. It was a fast-paced game and very vertical at times with overlaps between Alexander, Chara, Alhassan and Nagbe. The goal was a justification of 13 shots on frame, and as the ball went in we all cheered in unison. Among our company were first-time spectators of the sport, and they yelled along with the rest of us for uncalled penalties, opening goals and the disillusionment of the opposing side's score.

The Portland Timbers have a long way to go this season if they aim to make the playoffs. Last year they were close due to impeccable home form. They have lost a couple here and it hurts more when they are unable to earn wins away. The Nagbe-Boyd tandem works great and the verticality and passing is also there. A couple of missing pieces in the back line due to injury and suspension derailed what could have been another 3 points in a 4-game unbeaten streak. Let's stress the unbeaten... they have to win, not tie if they want to make it far in the tournament. Until then and beyond them we shall keep on cheering and singing along "when I root I root for the Timbers!"

USA Women vs Canada in Portland: the live experience

Photo credit: Craig MItchelldyer isiphotos.com

The US Women's national team defeated Canada by the score of 3 - 0 tonight at Jeld-Wen field in Portland, Oregon. It was a different kind of game from others I have attended throughout my career as a soccer fan. Young girls--the future of our USA team--giggled and cheered for their heroes before, during and after the match. Never mind that. It was fitting, perhaps, that I decided to take my pregnant wife to a family game like this.

On the pitch was a slightly different story. There was grit from Wambach and Rapinoe, calmness from Shannon Boxx, assurance in goal from Hope Solo, and a bit of spark in Lauren Cheney and Alex Morgan. We are only a scarce two months removed from the heartbreak loss to Japan in the Women's World Cup final, through penalties no less. But you wouldn't know if from the way the ladies played tonight.

The passes that were served to Wambach and Rapinoe were almost instinctual. Some of the long balls had swerve through kicking with the inside and outside of the boot. It was a bit of fantasy without the unnecessary dancing of the Brazilian national team. Canada's defense held their fort well throughout the first half. Their goalkeeper performed heroics time and time again. They are a disciplined side that will be tough to beat when Olympic qualifiers are underway in Vancouver next year.

But Abby Wambach would not be held back for long. At minute 64 in the second half, Wambach scored after receiving a pass from O'Hara. The shot came from near the edge of the penalty box with her favorite left foot. A mid-air curve and into the top 90 to the goalkeeper's right. It was almost in slow motion but I, along with all the fans, knew it would go in. The second goal was typical Wambach with a diving header from another pass--this time a sweet center--from O'Hara.

The night would not be done without giving credit to the future of the US Women's National Team: Alex Morgan. The 22-year old scored in typical pure-forward mode: an opportunistic tap-in. She was in the right place at the right time, the way true goal-scorers are, and she finished the game for the Americans in a true "goleada" fashion: tres a cero.

Tonight was about the fans and the ladies, sport and dreams, cleanliness and sportsmanship. One tweeter put it nicely: "Womens soccer is so well played. No flopping, no nasty fouls/tackles. I love watching it." Indeed. Long live the game. Team USA will always win our hearts.