Down three goals at halftime, MNUFC2 fought back to score two goals in the second half, but wasn’t able to catch up in the eventual 3-2 loss to Timbers2 on Wednesday afternoon. The Twos have a quick turn-around going into Sunday where they will face Houston Dynamo 2 back at the National Sports Center Stadium.
MNUFC2 found the first scoring opportunity of the match after Twos midfielder Molik Jesse Khan gained possession on the left sideline before he found Jordan Adebayo-Smith in the middle third of the pitch near the halfline. Adebayo-Smith, still facing the sideline, passed it back to the left side finding teammate Patrick Weah and made a run up the pitch to receive the ball and take space into the final third up the pitch. He fired off a shot inside the 18-yard box that went just high above the crossbar and out of bounds.
Shortly after that chance, Minnesota saw a second opportunity to score in the 10th minute after a one-two sequence between Loïc Mesanvi and Weah that allowed Mesanvi a shot on goal, but was saved by Timbers2 goalkeeper Carver Miller.
Timbers2 scored the first goal of the game in the 18th minute after Portland served a long ball up the pitch and found Jaden Jones-Riley. Jones-Riley took space and was able to get around Minnesota’s defense and found teammate Kyle Linhares. Linhares, inside the six-yard box, slipped the ball past MNUFC Academy U17 goalkeeper Kai Zeruhn.
Soon after Timbers2 opened the scoring, they doubled their lead in the 22nd minute after Tyler Clegg dribbled into the 18-yard box and passed it off to Keesean Ferdinand on the right side where he found the far corner of the goal.
The Twos nearly scored after Weah dribbled to the endline and found space to slip the ball through into open space in front of Mesanvi inside the six-yard box, but he wasn’t able to get a foot on the ball before it was cleared out.
Yet again, MNUFC2 created another close chance to put themselves on the scoreboard after the Scottish defender Finn McRobb connected with winger Darius Randell after he crossed the ball from the left side. Randell, unmarked, took an open shot 10-yards from goal but his shot was saved by Miller.
The Portland side scored the third goal of the first half after picking the ball off in the home team's half after a Timbers2 forward dropped the ball back towards Clegg on top of the 18-yard line, where he dribbled to the right to create space to take a shot from the right side of the box and found the back of the net.
After being down three goals at halftime, MNUFC2 scored in the 56th minute after Mesanvi, with the ball on the left flank, weaved past Timbers2 defense to play it back towards the 18-yard line where Rory O’Driscoll ran onto the pass for a one-touch shot.
Two minutes later, the Twos scored another goal after Kahn fired a long-range shot that hit the crossbar and pulled Carver to the ground, leaving the goal wide open. Weah found the other side off the rebound and tapped the ball into goal.
MNUFC2’s goalkeeper, Zeruhn, made an important diving save in the 65th minute after a Timbers2 forward fired a shot near the 18-yard line that Zeruhn deflected, keeping the score 3-2. But the late surge by the Minnesota side was not enough, and the home side eventually fell to the Timbers2 squad by the 3-2 scoreline.
GOALS
0-1 Timbers2 - Kyle Linhares assisted by Jones-Riley (18’)
0-2 Timbers2 - Tyler Clegg assisted by Keesean Ferdinand (22’)
0-3 Timbers2 - Joshua Penn assisted by Victor Enriquez Velazquez (41’)
1-3 MNUFC2 - Rory O’Driscoll assisted by Loïc Mesanvi (56’)
2-3 MNUFC2 - Patrick Weah (58’)
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Caution, Timbers2 - Alexis Moreno (26’)
Caution, Timbers2 - Keesean Ferdinand (35’)
Caution, MNUFC2 - Jordan Adebayo-Smith (73’)
NOTABLE STATS
1- Rory O’Driscoll scored his first goal of the 2024 MLS NEXT pro season against Timbers2 on June 26.
8 - First team forward Patrick Weah netted his eighth goal of the 2024 campaign, and is now tied for second in all of MLS NEXT Pro in goals scored, and is one goal behind the leader from Chicago Fire FC II, David Poreba (9).
TEAM LEADERS (Updated through June 26)
Goals – Patrick Weah (8)
Assists – Three players tied (2)
Saves – Alec Smir (19)
Wins – Alec Smir (2)
Shutouts – Clint Irwin (1)
