MAIN » ARTICLESTimbers walk to fourth-straight win at Edmonton
Edmonton FC 1 - 4 Portland Timbers
A disconsolate but somewhat enthusiastic crowd turned up to Coronation Park today to see their home team Edmonton FC lose once again to the Portland Timbers, bringing the cumulative score to 16-2 over the last 4 meetings. Pre-match issues with the PA system were mostly ignored by the small gathering filling only half of the two stands on one side of the pitch. Resembling more the local recreation ground where 15-year-olds play sunday league, it didn't seem a fitting location for cities with populations of 666,000 (Edmonton) and 529,121 (Portland) respectively. Any foreign admirers of the good game wouldn't have been blamed for thinking they'd taken a wrong turn trying to find the ground, but considering how close Edmonton FC (formerly Aviators) were to dissolving last week (according to local news) the loyal 150 or so who turned up were greatful for anything to cheer for - sadly this wouldn't amount to much.
In the typical pre-match banter, in between trying to work out which team was actually which, I commented on a player wearing white boots, showboating amongst the crowd. "He's one to watch", I said, "you can see it in all the boots, it's always been the way". Sure enough, I'd highlighted Timber's troublesome Byron Alvarez who ran the weak Edmonton defence as ragged as (Raggedy) Anne. This wasn't so much testiment to the skill of Alvarez (2 goals) and the other Portland forwards, as to the sheer ineptitude of Edmonton's back line. From the very start there was weaknesses on both flanks and especially through the center. The Timbers threaded neat through-balls to their pacier forwards in a way that would have worked for either team in an often scrappy encounter.
The Stands
League top-scorer Alan Gordon netted the first goal after a slow start 17 minutes into the game. Alvarez's double followed on 45 and 60 and appeared to be the end of the scoring until 25 minutes later when Edmonton finally managed a reply through the instantly recognisable Nikola Vignjevic's effortless freekick from 25 yards out. There was no question of a comeback and any hope was soon diminished as shouts of "4-1, 5-1, 6-1, we don't care, at least we scored!" were answered with a wry smile and Adi Afash's tame backpost header.
Edmonton head coach Ross Ongaro had earlier told reporters that FC were "prepared to go for the win" and noted the need for his team to be "spoilers". Indeed, something was always going to be spoilt, and were it not to be the half-time hot dogs and coffee, it was the farewell match at Coronation. The hot dogs were fine, the coffee was spot on and Edmonton will play their last 3 games of the current season at Foote Field sitting second-bottom in the overall A-League standings.
Written by J. King
In the typical pre-match banter, in between trying to work out which team was actually which, I commented on a player wearing white boots, showboating amongst the crowd. "He's one to watch", I said, "you can see it in all the boots, it's always been the way". Sure enough, I'd highlighted Timber's troublesome Byron Alvarez who ran the weak Edmonton defence as ragged as (Raggedy) Anne. This wasn't so much testiment to the skill of Alvarez (2 goals) and the other Portland forwards, as to the sheer ineptitude of Edmonton's back line. From the very start there was weaknesses on both flanks and especially through the center. The Timbers threaded neat through-balls to their pacier forwards in a way that would have worked for either team in an often scrappy encounter.
The Stands
League top-scorer Alan Gordon netted the first goal after a slow start 17 minutes into the game. Alvarez's double followed on 45 and 60 and appeared to be the end of the scoring until 25 minutes later when Edmonton finally managed a reply through the instantly recognisable Nikola Vignjevic's effortless freekick from 25 yards out. There was no question of a comeback and any hope was soon diminished as shouts of "4-1, 5-1, 6-1, we don't care, at least we scored!" were answered with a wry smile and Adi Afash's tame backpost header.
Edmonton head coach Ross Ongaro had earlier told reporters that FC were "prepared to go for the win" and noted the need for his team to be "spoilers". Indeed, something was always going to be spoilt, and were it not to be the half-time hot dogs and coffee, it was the farewell match at Coronation. The hot dogs were fine, the coffee was spot on and Edmonton will play their last 3 games of the current season at Foote Field sitting second-bottom in the overall A-League standings.
Written by J. King