Scoring Summary:
POR- Gaston Fernandez (Michael Urruti) 11
POR- Gaston Fernandez (Penalty) 36
POR- Taylor Peay (Michael Urruti) 69
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC- G Tomas Gomez, D Daan Brinkman (Daniel Johnson 76’), Boyd Okwuonu, Ian Svantesson, Skyler Russell (Nico Rittmeyer 69’), M Paul Clowes, Victor Souto (Tyler Blackwood 46’), Noah Franke, Andrew Brody, F Allan Sexius, Romario Williams
Portland Timbers- G Andrew Weber, D Alvas Powell (Taylor Peay 56’), Danny O’Rourke, Rauwshan McKenzie, Michael Harrington, M Jack Jewsbury, Gaston Fernandez (George Fochive 70’), Michael Nanchoff, Kalif Alhassan, F Maximiliano Urruti, Rodney Wallace (Schillo Tshuma 80’)
Match Facts:
Time of Match: 10:30 p.m. EST
Weather: -- Clear
Portland, Ore. – Propelled by two first half goals from Midfielder Gaston Fernandez, the Portland Timbers defeated the Orlando City U23s 3-0 to put an end to the young Lions history-making run in the U.S. Open Cup. The fourth round match on Tuesday at Providence Park marked the longest run in the oldest soccer tournament in the United States for the young lions.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to get onto the scoresheet as the Timbers struck first in the 11th minute of the match. Gaston Fernandez fired off a shot from well outside the box and fortunately enough for the midfielder, his effort dipped just under the crossbar and into the back of the net to give the Timbers the advantage.
Portland added to their total in the 36th minute when Striker Michael Urruti got into the penalty area and was brought down by 'keeper Tomas Gomez, just as his touch was rolling out of play.
Fernandez would go on to convert the ensuing penalty in cheeky fashion. Gomez dove to his right but the midfielder calmy dinked his effort directly down the middle of the frame to put the hosts ahead 2-0 heading into halftime.
In the second half, Portland began to settle down and really maintain possession to keep the U23s out of the Timbers’ defensive third.
However, maintaining possession would not stop the hosts from applying pressure to City’s backline, made up of collegiate defenders, and would eventually add one more goal to their tally just past the hour mark in the 69th minute.
The Argentinean forward, Urruti, sent a nice through ball into the box to an overlapping defender, Taylor Peay, who was able to get behind Orlando’s Skyler Russell to send his shot just past Gomez to seal the hosts convincing 3-0 victory over the U23s.
Head Coach Paul Shaw and his squad will return to the City Beautiful before disembarking on a two game road trip this weekend against the Ocala Stampede on Friday, June 20, and the Southwest Florida Adrenaline on Sunday, June 22.
