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[Frank Cunha]

what's the name of your team?

[Frank Cunha]

Timbers Close Season On The Perch 30/08/04

The Portland Timbers finished the regular season as the top team in the A-League with a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Wave United before 7,833 Sunday evening at PGE Park.

Strikers Byron Alvarez and Fadi Afash combined for the two Portland goals, with Afash tallying the game-winner.

The Timbers (18-7-3, 57pts) wrap up their most successful A-League regular season to date as the team with the best record in the league, surpassing Montreal on the final day of competition.

The ten-game unbeaten streak is a franchise high for the Timbers, who have allowed just six goals during the run while topping the A-League with 58 strikes on the season.

Portland will square off with archrival Seattle in the Western Conference Semifinals beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at PGE Park. The second leg of the two-game aggregate goal series will move to Seattle on Sunday, Sept. 5.

The game-winning goal came in the 77th minute when Afash put on a clinic inside the box, back-heeling the ball past several unsuspecting defenders and Milwaukee goalkeeper Jeff Richey.

In the 49th minute, Jake Sagare dished left to Alvarez, who rang up his 16th goal of the season from close range for the 1-0 lead.

Moments after Milwaukee's Nino Marcantonio was tossed from the match with a red card, Todd Dusosky looped a free kick from Johnny Torres over the head of Portland goalkeeper Josh Saunders, making it a 1-1 match.

In first-half action, Sagare got loose in the 22nd, squeezing off a shot from the left side that was challenged and put out of play by the Milwaukee 'keeper.

The Wave United's Ibrahim Kante registered two shots in the first half, most notably a 40-yard laser that missed high and to the left.

Greg Howes nearly equalized in stoppage time of the second half for Milwaukee (12-12-4, 40pts), but Saunders came away with the clean save, his fourth of the evening, to preserve the victory.

Wednesday's conference semifinal playoff match against Seattle will kick off at 7 p.m. (Pacific) at PGE Park.

[Frank Cunha]

Puerto Rico will be back for another season

http://www.endi.com/noticiat.asp?newsid={7D4E2EB7-755A-4EF5-B21B-524C43F6D21B}&cat=mosaico

[supermeb]

Originally posted by Frank Cunha
what's the name of your team?

the name of the club i play for is Richmond Strikers located obviously in Richmond, VA. here's our website: strikersonline

and right now i couldn't tell you what the brackets are b/c the tourney site is down.. i just know the teams we're playing if that means anything to you guys:

Saturday, September 4
Richmond Strikers [RSK] vs. Reston FC [from northern va]

RSK vs. Beach FC Majix [friendly? rival from va beach]

Sunday, September 5
RSK vs. Charlotte SC [charlotte.nc]

Finals [if we make it]

[Frank Cunha]

Courtesy of the Virginia Beach Mariners
31.August.2004
Virginia Beach, Virginia – Virginia Beach Mariner forward Dante Washington has won the 2004 A-League scoring championship, netting 17 goals and 6 assists in 27 games during the 2004 campaign. His 40 points places him four points ahead of second-place Byron Alvarez of Portland. Washington’s 17 goals also ranks him in a first-place tie with Portland’s Alan Gordon for goals scored in the A-League during the 2004 regular season. Washington finished the 2003 season ranked third in the A-League in points with 37 and ranked second in goals scored with 18 in 26 games. In 2003, he also led the League in shots with 82.

The official announcement by the A-League is expected next week after a full audit and final review of the season’s statistics.

Washington opened his 2004 scoring drive on May 8 with two goals against Toronto in the Mariners’ third match of the season. He followed with two assists against Richmond on May 31. In addition, Washington scored 3 goals against Rochester, 2 goals and 2 assists against Milwaukee, 2 goals against Charleston, 1 goal against Montreal, 2 goals against Syracuse, 3 goals and 2 assists against Atlanta and 2 additional goals against Toronto.

Washington was named A-League Player of the Week for the first time during his A-League career for his 2-goal, 1-assist performance against Atlanta on August 11 and was named to the A-League Team of the Week three times in 2004. In 2003, he was named to the All A-League First Team and was named to the Team of the Week also three times.

Washington, who plans to play for the Mariners in 2005, attributes his success to his team. “Our team is so much more important than individual awards or recognition,” he said. “I’d be much happier winning the A-League championship – that’s something we could all enjoy together. My individual awards are a reflection of the team. I couldn’t do what I do without them.”

For more information about the 2004 or the 2005 Virginia Beach Mariners, please call 430-9800.


Mariners’ media contact:

[BethlehemFC]

Dante was a valuable player in MLS. I always liked him.

[Frank Cunha]

Charleston made a coaching change
http://www.soccer365.com/US_NEWS/Bre...31_79546.shtml

[Frank Cunha]

Timbers Double Up Seattle 02/09/04
The Seattle Sounders fell behind to the Portland Timbers 2-1 in first round A-League playoff action Wednesday before 4,683 at PGE Park in the first leg of their two-leg, aggregate score Western Conference Semifinal series.
After taking a 1-0 lead into halftime, the Sounders allowed a goal early in the second half and saw the Timbers take the lead after a red card issued to a Sounders defender in the box resulted in the game-winning penalty kick as the Timbers won 2-1.

The Sounders applied offensive pleasure early in the match and were able to capitalize as they scored in the 17th minute of play. Sounders midfielder Kevin Sakuda crossed the ball across the penalty box to Jonathan Bolanos deep in the far corner. Bolanos, corralled by Timbers defenders, chipped the ball back into the box to Sakuda who headed the ball to the far post, where Sounders forward Roger Levesque tapped the ball into the goal to give the Sounders a 1-0 lead.

The Sounders generated several good scoring opportunities as Levesque consistently applied pressure on Timbers goalkeeper Josh Saunders. The Sounders had four shots in the first half.

Sounders goalkeeper Preston Burpo made two key saves in the first half to keep the Timbers off the board.

In the 32nd minute Timbers forward Byron Alvarez received a long pass down the far side as three Sounders defenders had him marked. Alvarez squeezed through the Sounders defense as Burpo came off his line to contest him. Alvarez slid the ball past a diving Burpo, but the ball didn't have the angle to sneak into the goal as Sounder midfielder Billy Sleeth cleared the ball down the side line.

Burpo and the Sounders defense kept the A-league's most potent offense at bay as the Timbers took eight shots in the first half.

The Timbers continued their barrage of shots in the second half, and capitalized on their scoring opportunities in the 52nd minute as midfielder Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar took a low 14 yard shot that curled into the near post. Timbers forward Alvarez slightly redirected the ball to the near post to tie the score at 1-1.

Levesque and second half substitute Chad Brown nearly gave the Sounders the lead. In the 64th minute, on a Ben Somoza throw-in, Brown got his head on the ball but didn't put enough power into the ball as it bounced into the hands of Saunders.

A minute later Levesque, one-on-two with Timbers defenders, launched a 25 yard rocket along the far side of the box that just missed the near post past a diving Saunders as it sailed wide. The Sounders took seven shots throughout the match.

In the 80th minute, Sounders defender Marco Velez was issued a red card for an elbow to Timbers forward Alvarez in the box. After three minutes of discussion with the referees, former Sounder Andrew Gregor took the penalty kick in the 81st minute. With a low shot to his right, Gregor gave the Timbers a 2-1 lead.

Despite the penalty kick in the 81st minute, the Sounders defense spoiled numerous offensive opportunities as the Timbers took five shots in the second half.

Sounders defender Danny Jackson shut down Timbers forward Alan Gordon, who finished the regular season second in the A-League in scoring with 17 goals. Burpo finished the match with just four saves but kept the Timbers at bay the entire match.

The Timbers got physical in the second half as they tallied fouls in the first 20 minutes of the second half. The Sounders were called for 18 fouls in the match, four yellows and a red card ejection as these clubs continue their heated rivalry.

The Sounders scoring leader, Welton, did not play in the match due to his nagging hip injury he suffered on August 22nd against Puerto Rico. Welton scored 10 goals in the regular season.

The second leg of the aggregate score series is slated for Sunday evening at Qwest Field in Seattle. Game time is 5:00 p.m.

The winner of this series will advance to the Western Conference Finals and play the winner of the Vancouver-Minnesota seri

[BethlehemFC]

Go Minnesota.

[BethlehemFC]

Looks like Minnesota will be shorthanded though. From their web site:

http://www.mnthunder.com/news/Displa...NewsItemId=981

THREE THUNDER PLAYERS CALLED UP FOR NATIONAL TEAM DUTIES
The Minnesota Thunder announced today that Liberians Johnny Menyongar, Melvin Tarley, and Francis Doe have all been called up to play for the Liberian National Team for World Cup Qualifying. Liberia will face Zambia on September 4th in Lusaka, Zambia. All three players will miss the first playoff series against Vancouver, but will be available if the Thunder advances.

African World Cup qualifying is broken down into five groups, each consisting of six teams. The winner of each group will qualify for the 2006 World Cup. Liberia is in Group One and will face Congo, Senegal, Zambia, Togo and Mali on a home and away basis for a total of 10 games. After three games played, Liberia is tied for third in Group One with four points (1-1-1), trailing Congo and Senegal by two points.

Menyongar (14 pts) and Tarley (17 pts) are the two point leaders for the Thunder this season.

“We are excited that we have three members of the Thunder representing their country,” said Thunder head coach Buzz Lagos. “It is unfortunate that they will miss our first playoff series with Vancouver, but we have to respect the highest honor a soccer player can receive -- a call up from its national team.”

[Frank Cunha]

that hurts::wow::

[Frank Cunha]

Thunder Fall 2-0 in Vancouver, Need Win at Home on Sunday

September 3, 2004 (Vancouver) – The Minnesota Thunder fell Friday
night to the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 in the first game of the two
game aggregate goals series. The Thunder now enter Sunday’s game at
James Griffin Stadium in St. Paul needing to beat the Whitecaps by
three goals to move on to the Western Conference semi-finals.

The second game of the series will be played at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets may be purchased online until Sunday morning by visiting
www.mnthunder.com. Tickets will go on sale at James Griffin Stadium
on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

Although they will need to defeat the Whitecaps by three goals on
Sunday, the Thunder have been in a more difficult position versus the
Vancouver side. In 2000, the Thunder and Whitecaps also met in the
first round of the playoffs. Vancouver took the first game of the
series 3-0, but when the teams met in Minnesota the Thunder won 4-0
in overtime to move on to the second round.

On Friday night the Thunder were without their top two goal scorers,
Johnny Menyongar and Melvin Tarley, as both had been called up to
play for their home country of Liberia in a world cup qualifier.

The Whitecaps opened scoring early in the game when Jason Jordan
crossed the ball into the Thunder goal box in just the sixth minute
of play to Carlo Corrazin hit a bicycle kick under the arms of Joe
Warren and into the lower right corner of the net.

The Whitecaps widened their lead to 2-0 just after halftime when
Corrazin sent a well hit cross into the goal box for David Xausa who
struck the ball into the back of the net with a volley.

The Thunder created several good chances to score, but were unable to
convert.

The Thunder out-shot the Whitecaps 6-4 in the second half, but were
out-shot for the game 13-10.


Game Summary.

Scoring Summary.

Vancouver – Corrazin 6 (Jordan)
Vancouver – Xausa 47 (Corrazin)

Lineups –

Minnesota – Warren, Branan, Brunt, Roberts, Jacquette (Tenoff 62),
Friedland, Matteo, Alberts, Juarez, Castellanos, Ferruzzi (Magee 76)

Vancouver – M. Franks, Dasovic, C. Franks, Clarke, Lyall, Valente
(Morris 45), Nash, , Kindel, Jordan (Thompson), Corazzin, Xausa
(Harmse 70)

Game statistics –

Minnesota – Shots: 10, Fouls: 18, Offside: 3, Corners: 3
Vancouver - Shots: 13, Fouls: 13, Offside: 2, Corners: 2

Goalkeeper statistics –

Warren (Minnesota) – Shots faced: 13, Saves: 4, Goals allowed: 2
Franks (Vancouver) - Shots faced: 10, Saves: 2, Goals allowed: 3

Cautions –

Minnesota – Branan 55
Vancouver – Kindel 58, Xausa 70

Ejections –

Vancouver – Lyle 55

Attendance – 4,135

[Frank Cunha]

Sunday, Sept 5
Richmond
@ Syracuse 5:00 ET

Rochester
@ Montreal FSW 7:00 ET

Vancouver
@ Minnesota 7:00 ET

Portland
@ Seattle 8:00 ET

[Frank Cunha]

Sunday, Sept 5
Richmond
@ Syracuse 5:00 ET

Rochester
@ Montreal FSW 7:00 ET

Vancouver
@ Minnesota 7:00 ET

Portland
@ Seattle 8:00 ET

[revolutionfan]

Originally posted by Frank Cunha
Franks (Vancouver) - Shots faced: 10, Saves: 2, Goals allowed: 3

3 goals allowed, yet his team got a shut-out? How'd he manage that.