The Kitsap Pumas continued their homestand to end the season by settling for a 0-0 draw against Portland Timbers U23 squad at Gordon Field on July 6. For goalkeeper Matt Grosey, it was the ninth shutout of the season in 14 appearances between league play and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Both teams had their chances throughout the game, including some one-on-one attempts against either goalkeeper, but neither team could find the back of the net, even as the offensive chances built toward the end of the game.
The Pumas went with an aggressive starting lineup, as the team hasn’t had a multiple-goal game since their 3-1 Open Cup win over the Sacramento Republic on June 1. That strategy proved fruitful early, as Kitsap had many more of the attacking chances at the beginning of the game.
Most of the Portland chances early came on counterattacks opened up by the aggressive nature of the Pumas in the final third. The Timbers’ best chance came in the 30th minute when Kitsap defender Matt Eronemo cleared a ball off the goal line after Grosey was caught out of position.
Kitsap started strong in the second half as well, getting a great look at goal within the first two minutes — a powerful shot that was deflected wide. In the 51st minute, Nick Hamer found himself one-on-one with the Portland goalkeeper Andrew Konstantino but scuffed his shot wide left. Hamer had a great chance in the 66th minute as well, pulling his shot wide left once more after a series of passes by the Pumas.
Both goalkeepers made athletic saves throughout the match, including multiple instances of diving on the ball in hectic situations. Grosey and Konstantino compiled nine saves between them.
As the game time ticked higher, so did the tensions, as three yellow cards were issues in the span of eight minutes. There were five cards in total, all in the second half.
The best chance of the game for the Timbers U23 came in the 79th minute, after multiple deflections off players in the penalty area, but no Portland player could convert and the ball eventually went behind for a corner kick.
This was the second and final time these two teams met this season, with the Pumas winning the first meeting down in Salem, Oregon, by a 2-1 score on June 10. Only one point separates the two teams in the league table, with Portland on 10 points and the Pumas right above them with 11.
Kitsap will finish out its season with two final home games at Gordon Field, against Lane United and the Calgary Foothills on June 9 and 17, respectively.
— Match Report —
Match: Kitsap Pumas vs. Portland Timbers U23
Date: July 6, 2016
Competition: Premier Development League
Venue: Gordon Field — Bremerton, Wash.
Kickoff: 7 p.m. PT
Weather: 70 degrees, mostly sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Kitsap 0 0 0
Portland 0 0 0
Lineups:
Kitsap: 18.Matt Grosey — 19.Matt Eronemo, 3.Cory Keitz, 4.Rene De Zorzi, 27.Ian Lange — 8.Ibrahim Diaby, 6.Nick Hamer, 10.Jesús Sánchez, 20.Joel Waterman — 30.Mike Ramos, 22.Daniel Davidson
Head coach: Cameron MacDonald
Portland: 1.Andrew Konstantino – 53.Kris Reaves, 52.Roy Boateng, 51.Peter Prescott, 39.Niko De Vera – 44.Max Ornstil, 55.Cristo Michaelson, 31.Jackson Jellah – 35.Foster Langsdorf, 48.Jordan Jones, 49.Benji Michel
Head coach: Troy Ready
Stats Summary: KIT / PDX
Shots: 4 / 6
Saves: 6 / 3
Corner Kicks: 3 / 6
Fouls: 15 / 12
Offside: 4 / 4
Misconduct Summary:
KIT – Mike Ramos (caution), 58’
PDX — Jackson Jellah (caution), 59’
KIT — Ibrahim Diaby (caution), 66’
KIT — Darius Madison (caution), 86’
KIT — Rene De Zorzi (caution), 88’
