Entering in the second half, Timbers forward Takayuki Suzuki threatened with a blast in the 55th minute from the top of the box at the upper-right corner of the net. But Hickman was able to tip the ball over the crossbar to keep the Timbers off the board.
2008年 予定表 (時間は太平洋時間です。時差は16時間です。) 04/17 19:00 H Puerto Rico Islanders 04/24 19:00 H Minnesota Thunder 04/26 19:00 H Seattle Sounders 05/08 19:00 H Rochester Raging Rhinos 05/10 19:00 A Seattle Sounders 05/16 17:00 A Puerto Rico Islanders 05/18 15:00 A Miami FC Blues 05/24 19:00 H Vancouver Whitecaps 05/26 14:00 H Miami FC Blues 05/30 17:00 A Montreal Impact 06/01 15:00 A Rochester Raging Rhinos 06/05 19:00 H Minnesota Thunder 06/07 19:00 A Vancouver Whitecaps 06/12 19:00 H Atlanta Silverbacks 06/27 17:00 A Carolina RailHawks 06/28 16:55 A Atlanta Silverbacks 07/10 19:00 H Puerto Rico Islanders 07/18 16:55 A Atlanta Silverbacks 07/19 16:30 A Charleston Battery 07/24 19:00 H Carolina RailHawks 08/02 17:05 A Minnesota Thunder 08/07 20:00 H Seattle Sounders 08/09 19:00 H Charleston Battery 08/16 19:00 H Montreal Impact 08/22 20:00 A Vancouver Whitecaps 08/27 16:30 A Montreal Impact 09/04 19:00 H Miami FC Blues 09/06 16:35 A Rochester Raging Rhinos 09/11 19:00 H Charleston Battery 09/20 16:30 A Carolina RailHawks
It is a rare moment when the USL First Division gets a mention on ESPN’s Soccernet and an even rarer moment when that mention is not simply a reprinting of a wire story. Anne Ramzy, who used to pilot The Offside’s California Victory blog and is a contributor to The Offside’s podcast each week, writes about the state of the league heading into the opening match this weekend. She points to our very own Takayuki Suzuki as being one of the players to watch. Portland Timbers boss Gavin Wilkinson also gets a mention.
Looking at some of the players that have been signed by the Timbers and the rest of the USL-1 teams this offseason, I can’t help but think that the level of play is continuing to improve every year. I’m not sure if that will continue to be the case when MLS eventually expands to 18 or 20 teams. Those MLS teams are going to need some bodies, particularly guys who are young and willing to work for slave’s wages. In other words, most players in USL-1.
The USL-1 Season kicks off this week (April 12) with several notable changes in the finances of some of the clubs. The viability of some USL clubs often has been in question, but this year the USL-1 has several clubs that run the gamut of different financial situations.
Five players to watch 1. Takayuki Suzuki. The Portland Timbers landed themselves a huge signing in Japanese forward Takayuki Suzuki. The 31-year-old is a veteran of the Japanese national team, with 55 appearances and 11 goals. He took part in all four matches of the 2002 World Cup, scoring an important equalizer in the 2-2 group stage game against Belgium. He's earned his stripes racking up experience playing for teams in Brazil, Serbia, and Belgium. Look for Suzuki to help turn an already strong team into the possible league champion.
(ry
Five story lines to follow
3. Old World Cuppers. Similar to the MLS fad of snagging older World Cup and international players (David Beckham, Juan Pablo Angel, Galindo), several USL teams have found their own gems: Suzuki of the Timbers, More at Charleston Battery, Takashi Hirano with the Vancouver Whitecaps and Zinho (now coach) at Miami FC. Will these players be able to pass on their world-class abilities to their teams and teammates? Will the experience of being under pressure in huge games really bring much to the USL teams? Time will tell if these former stars can still shine, and if their shine will rub off.
Not in camp this week is Japanese striker Takayuki Suzuki, who traveled back to Japan to finalize his visa. He is expected back in Portland by the end of the week.
It is one of the rituals of spring. Heading up to the Bluff to watch the Timbers play on the beautiful pitch at Merlo Field. We get all excited about the new guys, think about the possibilities of the season ahead, and worry that we aren’t strong enough on the wings. We watch the Timbers go through the motions against college teams, while we eagerly await the games that count against teams from places like Charleston and Rochester. Tonight is the last opportunity to see the 2008 Timbers in action before the results start showing up in a table that occasionally is printed in the local newspaper. They face the University of Portland at 7pm.
The Trib does its part to play into the myth that the Timbers have played a light preseason schedule. I suppose that if you believe the official party line that they will only play three games - San Jose, Gonzaga, Portland - before the season starts then that would be accurate. But we know that there have been more games and that this preseason has been no different than any in previous years.
The Tribits also go on to mention that the Timbers may face a team from Japan in a friendly and that they might travel to Japan after the season for an exhibition. That could be the greatest road trip in the history of road trips. The impetus for all this, of course, is Takayuki Suzuki. It will be fascinating to see whether the former Japanese international really does attract Japanese fans to PGE Park this season.
The Trib also puts the arrival of Arsene Oka as being sometime in the next two weeks. I still think he is a fictional character.
Enjoy the game tonight. Unfortunately I will not be in attendance. I have my yearly case of Ebola and hardly have the strength to get out of bed. Now I know how Scott Benedetti felt after playing back-to-back games. I am sure you’ll have no trouble finding match recaps elsewhere.
It is hard to deny that the Portland Timbers have had a very good offseason. The team has been able to retain most of the key pieces from the successful 2007 squad, while bringing in a World Cup goal scorer and a forward with significant MLS experience. The ownership has show that it is committed to winning. Ticket sales are up. Fan excitement is through the roof. And yet, I feel uneasy. It is part of my nature to worry. I worry about everything, including the state of my beloved Timbers. Here are five concerns I have ahead of the season opener on Thursday.
In no particular order:
1. Can Burse/James replace Wicks? – If you think back to this time last year you will recall that many people, myself included, were calling for Bayard Elfvin to start ahead of Josh Wicks. That didn’t turn out to the case and as you know Wicks went on to have a record breaking year that led to a contract with the LA Galaxy. His absence is huge. Ray Burse is said to have talent but up to this point in his career he hasn’t proven it on a consistent basis. Jordan James has succeeded at a lower level but he was largely brought in here to back up Wicks. With Burse on loan from FC Dallas, we are likely to see both guys in goal at various points during the season. This has me nervous
2. Where are those 15 points going to come from? – The Timbers played the California Victory five times last season and came away with five victories. In the other 23 games, the Timbers had nine wins. The seasons where the Timbers have had the most success have been when they have beaten up on one team – think Calgary and Edmonton. The bottom teams are better this year and with a balanced schedule Portland won’t have the advantage of playing the worst team more times than everyone else.
3. Can the team overachieve again? – Gavin Wilkinson was named coach of the year last year and he should have been. He took a team that wasn’t the most talented in the league and had them fight and scrap their way to a second place finish. The team has added some skillful players in Takayuki Suzuki and Chris Brown, but it is still a side that is going to have to outwork its opponents. At what point this stop happening? At what point do the coaches words start to fall on deaf ears?
4. Will we win on the new turf? – The Timbers went undefeated at PGE Park at 2007. You can chalk that up to playing in front of a rabid supporters group and to a coach that focused his team on getting points at home, but it is also hard to deny that the crap turf didn’t have something to do with it. The Timbers players had the advantage of knowing the odd bounces and of being used to the pace of the plastic. Sure it took a toll on their bodies and there are many advantages to having a new surface, but for those 90 minutes a night at PGE Park they had an advantage because of concrete. They won’t in 2008.
5. Will we get enough goals up front? – I though the same thing last year and it turned out that the goal scoring game from a variety of positions. That might be the case again this season, but I am still concerned about whether Suzuki and Brown will put the ball in the net enough times. Both have a ton of skill and will set up their teammates, but neither is a flat out goal scorer. Will that come back to haunt us?
The marathon sprint that is the USL First Division season got underway with a pair of games this weekend. The 2008 campaign kicked off in Miami where the hometown Blues played to a 2-2 draw against the Charleston Battery in front of 3,369 (quite good for Miami, especially since it was raining). Alex Afonso is the answer to the trivia question of who scored the first goal of the season. The 11th minute is when he did it. Miami went ahead 2-1 in 82nd minute on a goal from Sean Fraser, but they couldn’t hold the lead. The Battery’s Dominic Cianciarulo scored his second goal of the night, beating Josh Saunders in stoppage time, to help Charleston earn a road point. Miami is a real wild card to me this year. They have a number of players that look good on paper. I could see them being tough. I could see them going in the tank. The Timbers get to play them at PGE Park twice, which beats having to play in South Florida in the summer any day.
The other game of the weekend saw the Montreal Impact travel to Vancouver to play the Whitecaps. I find this hard to believe, but Vancouver had not beaten Montreal at home since 1996. Swangard Stadium is a tough place to play and to go 12 years without a loss there is a feat. It is a feat that has come to an end. The Whitecaps defeated Montreal 1-0 in front of 5,288. Eduardo Sebrango scored the lone goal in the 33rd minute. Did you know that the Caps have their own Japanese World Cup player? Defender Takashi Hirano played for Japan’s 1998 World Cup team. He also played in 300-plus games in the J-League. It will be fun watching him go head-to-head with Takayuki Suzuki. By the way, keep an eye on how Montreal starts the season. With six straight road games they could dig themselves a hole they might not be able to get out of.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/timbers/2008/04/the_107_report_7.html The 107 Report Posted by db April 14, 2008 09:55AM Categories: Supporters News Today we have a overload of 107 Reports for your listening. As mentioned earlier Bruce Eaton, the creator of the 107 Report, has been added to the OregonLive blogging staff.
Enjoy!
Our first foray into The 107 Report for 2008. Chats with Chris Brown, Kiki Lara, Miguel Guante, Justin Thompson, Tim Karalexis, Taka Suzuki and Jordan James. Music by Pete Townshend.
-You're welcome. Tell us about your style of play. -How would you describe yourself as a footboal player? あなたのプレースタイルを教えてください。
-Excellent. We need a player like that. 素晴らしいwそういうプレイヤーが我々の求めるプレイヤーだよ。 (お姉ちゃんが伝えた"前線で粘り強く戦う"の訳だと思われる FastとPersistantはかなり微妙、普通にtough wrokでいいのに。。 このreally fastとpersistantの組み合わせじゃ粘り強さや しつこさじゃなくて、試合全体を通して高いスピードを維持して、 というような誤解を生んだ可能性もある。)
-How has your transition to the Timbers been compared with teams you played before? 今回のティンバースへの移籍は今までプレイしたチームへのそれと較べてどう捉えられてますか? -Is it a comfoterble fit for you? (←自信なし) 満足できる移籍だったように見えますが。
(ココもちとお姉ちゃんの訳に疑問。単に居心地がいいか聞きたいなら How is the team?レベルで済む話。インタビュアーは師匠のキャリアへ 興味があるのだからキャリアとしてこの移籍がどうなのか、を聞かんと。 代表歴のある選手がなぜこんなとこに来たのか、が彼の質問の本音だろう)
------- 昨日の記事ですいませんけど A Season In Preview http://blog.oregonlive.com/timbers/2008/04/a_season_in_preview.html (ry Taka Suzuki 30 - This is a special player. Strong on the ball. Slippery in traffic. Already showed us his ability to deliver wicked crosses. He's a setup forward who also likes to cause havoc for defenders by pressuring them. I'd expect him to get starts in most games and in the few that he rests he'll enter in the 70th minute and take advantage of unprepared and tired defenses.
Gavin Wilkinson, the Timbers' coach and general manager.
Taka-who? Wilkinson hadn't heard of Suzuki. But his interest piqued after he looked him up online, including checking out some YouTube clips. He invited Suzuki to Portland for a one-week tryout.
"To have somebody who can hold the ball up the way he does, and his work rate off the ball, it's a great thing to have," Wilkinson said.
He accepted Wilkinson's one-year contract -- an offer Arita described as one-tenth the pay of one he turned down from a Japanese club.
"For me, salary does not matter at all," Suzuki said. "That's not why I'm playing. My hope had been to play in the U.S., and that's what I'm doing."
It doesn't look like he's the strongest, biggest guy in the world. He's not 6-5 and 200 pounds (the Timbers list him at 6-0, 165 pounds), but that ball is glued to his feet, " second-year Timbers forward Chris Bagley said. "He gets it with a guy draped all over him and yet it's as if he's all by himself."
Match 1: Portland Timbers 1-0 Puerto Rico Islanders By: Bob Kellett | April 17th, 2008
The Bottom Line: (ry Timbers Lineup: Burse S. Thompson Knowles J. Thompson Griffin Olum (Little 79) Poltl Gregor Higgins Brown Suzuki Three Stars (ry Did you notice….? (ry * The Timbers were playing some tight one-two combinations in the first half. For a minute I thought I was watching something other than USL First Division soccer. It was pretty. Brown, Suzuki and Gregor are all skillful on the ball. When they connect it sure is going to be enjoyable to watch. * Suzuki has an excellent work rate. Here is a former World Cup player busting his ass on a cool evening on fake turf in a league no one has ever heard of. Impressive. He also is much better in the air than I anticipated. He’ll get used to the rough play and piss poor officiating. His yellow card was a joke. He was cut down like a tree and he ended up with the card. Ridiculous. (ry Final Thoughts: - This was a good, solid win to start the season. It was not a consistent 90-minute effort, but other than a couple of breakdowns in the beginning the Timbers were well organized and in control. We saw flashes of what Brown and Suzuki can do up front and that should have us all excited. The midfield is more hustle than skill and that is a concern going forward, but three points is always a nice way to start a season and a big crowd celebrating the awesomeness that is Timber Jim made for a fun evening. It was nice seeing y’all. (ry
http://mikesfooty.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/match-review-timbers-v-islanders-417/ Match Review; Timbers v. Islanders 4/17 (ry The game started off with Puerto Rico in control but didn’t last long, the two squads swapped possession and in the 5′ minute Suzuki set up a beautiful attempt with Brown who missed. The Islanders didn’t let it go unanswered and sent a header themselves over the bar in the 8th. Brown was the man upfront but showed some of the early season rust when he took multiple chances, 11′ and 15′, which couldn’t find the back of the net.
Suzuki showed us all what his job will be when he assisted both Brown multiple times as well as Gregor’s chance in the 40th minute. Shortly after Gregor’s chance the officiating went Portland’s way when Thompson got elbowed by Atieno which resulted in Red. The Timbers also got their share of disciplinary action before the end of the half when Suzuki got nailed for delay after he was fouled in the 45′. (ry What did I get from tonight’s match? I can see Brown becoming the leading scorer this season especially with Suzuki’s assisting ability. The match wasn’t the high scoring affair I was hoping for but there are plenty of other matches this season and as these cobwebs get removed the 4-0 wins will begin to appear. (ry
Portlander comes through for Timbers in season opener Friday, April 18, 2008 By Paul Danzer Columbian Staff Writer (ry Brown’s partner up front, Takayuki Suzuki was a crowd pleaser with his high energy on the ball, and with several creative moves including a nifty left-footed cross that produced one of the game’s better scoring chances. Suzuki, Brown, and goalkeeper Ray Burse (who made three saves) were the only new faces in the starting lineup. (ry
• Talking with Taka (snippets of an interview conducted with Japanese-language interpreter Robert Rice):
Tribune: How long will you stay here? Suzuki: I’d like to be here as long as possible, certainly through the season. Then I’ll decide whether I’m here or elsewhere in America. I’m not thinking of going back to any country, including Japan. And being in the MLS doesn’t matter. To me, it’s really where I’m feeling best. Any place would be fine.
Tribune: You’re 31, how has your game changed since, say, you scored in the 2002 World Cup? Suzuki: I don’t feel like there’s much difference.
Tribune: What are your other interests? Suzuki: I like to travel and experience new places. I also enjoy motorcycles and cars, driving fast. Right now, I don’t have a car here, but I want one. Like a ‘65 Mustang.
Tribune: What are your impressions of the U.S.? Suzuki: I’ve been very interested in American culture since I visited Dallas in high school for a couple of weeks for a soccer tournament. That’s part of the reason why I want to play in America, to experience the culture. I’d prefer to stay in the States when I retire. Portland seems like a very easy place to live, and very beautiful city, so it’s certainly a possibility.
Tribune: Who are your favorite athletes? Suzuki: Michael Jordan. Mark McGwire.
Tribune: Any Japanese baseball players? Suzuki: (Hideo) Nomo. (Daisuke) Matsuzaka.
>>268 >Tribune: Who are your favorite athletes? >Suzuki: Michael Jordan. Mark McGwire. > >Tribune: Any Japanese baseball players? >Suzuki: (Hideo) Nomo. (Daisuke) Matsuzaka.
Brown’s partner up front, Takayuki Suzuki was a crowd pleaser with his high energy on the ball, and with several creative moves including a nifty left-footed cross that produced one of the game’s better scoring chances. Suzuki, Brown, and goalkeeper Ray Burse (who made three saves) were the only new faces in the starting lineup.
新しいFW獲得してるし、どう言う意味だろ? The Timbers announced Thursday they have signed Solomon Islands forward Benjamin Totori for the 2008 season, it was announced today pending USSF and international clearance. Totori, 22, is a member of the Solomon Islands national team, currently playing for Waitakere United of the New Zealand Football Championship, Totori is expected to join the Timbers in May.
≪参考blog≫←2トップながら供給役に徹する師匠について書いてる ttp://www.urbanhonking.com/truefan/2008/04/say_hello_say_g.html - Suzuki and Brown will be an excellent partnership. "Strike partnership" is historically a phrase not used when describing the Timbers front line, but that ends now. Suzuki was deftly working one- and two-touch passes in tight spaces, and Brown always knew where his partner was. Once the early season jitters die down, I have a feeling these guys will combine for many many goals. Taka also has a knack for floating outside, beating his man and sending in pinpoint crosses. Not the curving English variety, but laser-guided chaos inducers that beg for someone to redirect goalwards.
Portland forward Takayuki Suzuki, a former member of the Japanese National Team, just missed his first goal of the season in the 36th minute. He collected a pass along the right edge of the penalty area and was able to work the ball into space just inside the box. Suzuki's left-footed strike from 18 yards out curled just wide of the far post.
http://timbers.theoffside.com/match-reports/match-2-portland-timbers-v-minnesota-thunder.html Match 2: Portland Timbers 2-1 Minnesota Thunder (ry * Gavin Wilkinson pulled the right strings tonight. Not only was the Guante substitution the right move, but also taking Suzuki and Gregor out late was wise. Suzuki looked tired and did not have his best game. Gregor was also playing with a yellow card so better to take him out late than risk a sending off. http://timbers.theoffside.com/files/2008/04/suzuki-minnesota.jpg (ry * One of these games Suzuki is going to take a back pass from the opposing team and poach it for a goal. He is always lurking around. (ry
http://www.soccercityusa.com/timbers/min042408.html Shutout streak ends, but Higgins goal seals 2-1 win over Thunder (ry Both teams were having trouble keeping possession in the midfield, so very few scoring chances took place for the rest of the first half, but in the 26th minute, Portland’s Takayuki Suzuki eluded two defenders on a run down the left side to force a corner, and off the Andrew Gregor corner, Brown was set up with a good look from near the top of the box, but his hard shot was blocked by Minnesota defender Kevin Taylor and cleared.
Ten minutes later, it was Suzuki who nearly converted when he cut back into the box after a run down the right side, then curled a shot off his left foot that just slipped past the Minnesota keeper, but also just past left post. (ry Brown was able to break in again to make a deep run five minutes later, but Platter was able to make a kick save and cover the ball. But the assault on the goal had not ended when just a few seconds later, Brown stole the ball from a Thunder defender and dropped the ball to an open Suzuki, who hit a hard shot just high and wide. (ry
Timbers vs. Minnesota http://blog.craigmitchelldyer.com/timbers042408.jpg Yesterday was an crazy long day which began at 3am for a commercial shoot and ended around 10pm after the Timbers game. In between a shot a job for Intel and had just enough time to grab a bight to eat with my wife and kids at a mexican restaurant by the studio. I hate to admit it, but soccer is growing on me. I’m not a huge soccer guy, but good soccer is actually good. Imagine that. I still hate bad soccer though. Maybe I’m liking the Timbers more this year because they are a pretty good looking team. One of the things that ALWAYS keep me entertained during a match is the Timbers Army, the crazy fans in the north end of the stadium that have the best chants and cheers and music, they are awesome. How can you not love 3000 people all chanting in sync things like “We are green, we are white, we are f***ing dynamite”. Above is new forward Takayuki Suzuki. He is from Japan and even though I know nothing about futbol, this guy is the real deal he plays hard and has great feet and really is amazing to watch. (Oh crap I sound like I know about soccer, don’t tell anyone). Anyway, so the Army busts out a chant last night that I thought was funny, caught me off-guard and really made me laugh: “He came here from Japan…..he is the f***ing man, Suzuki oh oh, Suzuki oh oh.” I can’t get it out of my head. I wish he spoke english so he would know how cool that chant is. Maybe the Army can learn some Japanese and start a chant in Japanese for him.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Japanese striker Takayuki Suzuki recorded a goal and an assist to lead the Portland Timbers to a 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders in front of 9,894 at PGE Park on Saturday night. With the win, the Timbers extend their unbeaten regular-season streak at home and maintain their early season lead in the USL First Division.
Portland's victory over its Northwest rival extends its run of regular-season home matches at PGE Park without a loss to 17 games. Saturday's match also marks the Timbers' (3-0-0, 9pts) first win over Seattle (0-1-1, 1pt) since 2006.
Suzuki tallied his first goal of the season in the sixth minute to give Portland an early 1-0 lead. He then fed midfielder Miguel Guante on his first professional goal in the 76th minute to help Portland capture a 2-0 victory and maintain its first place position in the USL First Division table.
Timbers goalkeeper Ray Burse recorded six saves to collect his second shutout of the season, including one in the 84th minute on a one-on-one attempt by Seattle forward Sebastien LeToux at the top of the box.
The Timbers took an early 1-0 lead on a strike by Suzuki. Portland's defense was able to stop a corner kick by Seattle and the ball trickled out to forward Chris Brown just outside the top of the Portland penalty area. Brown sent a long pass down field to Suzuki, who caught up to the ball and collectied it outside the top right corner of the box. Working the ball to space, he rocketed a 22-yard shot into the top far corner of the frame for his first goal as member of the Timbers.
In the 76th minute, Guante, who made his first start of the season Saturday, added to the Timbers' lead with this first strike of the season. The play developed as Suzuki carried the ball up the right touch line and found Guante in the center of the pitch about 30 yards out from goal. Guante fought his way around a Seattle defender and knocked the ball from 15 yards out inside the left post past a diving attempt by Seattle goalkeeper Chris Eylander for a 2-0 Portland advantage.
Midway through the first half, Seattle had two opportunities to find the equalizer. In the 22nd minute, Burse made diving stop on a shot by LeToux at the left post, and parried the ball out of play. Six minutes later, midfielder Josh Gardner had a chance to find his first goal of the season from 10 yards out. His shot across the box with an open net rolled just wide of the right post, but sliding along the goal line was Timbers defender Tim Karalexis to make sure the ball stayed wide. (ry Lineups: POR: GK Burse, D Griffin, D Knowles, D Karalexis, D S. Thompson, M Guante, M Poltl, M Higgins, M Gregor (Olum, 80), F Suzuki (Little, 81), F Brown (Bagley, 76)
SEA: GK Eylander, D Jackson, D Sakuda (Fishbaugher, 69), D Graham, D Scott, M Alcaraz-Cuellar, M Treschuk, M O'Brien, M Gardner (Cascio, 77), F Levesque (Schmid, 54), F LeToux
No doubt, the Portland Timbers have culled a wave of momentum after three wins in their first three games of the 2008 season, including a 2-0 victory Saturday night over their archrival, the Seattle Sounders.
But Portland coach Gavin Wilkinson was quick to warn against putting too much stock in his squad's impressive start.
"It's not always a team that finished well that started well," Wilkinson said. "We've got to look after the health of our players and make sure we go into the playoffs with momentum. We're a long way off from that."
Clearly, though, Portland (3-0-0, 9points) has much to be happy about. First-year Timbers forward Takayuki Suzuki is at or near the top of the list after his performance Saturday in front of 9,894 at PGE Park. The veteran player from Japan scored his team's first goal, his first on U.S. soil, and assisted on the second.
His goal in the sixth minute started with fellow first-year Timbers forward Chris Brown pushing a cross upfield. Flanked by two defenders, with three more converging, Suzuki cut inside the right corner of the box. From about 25 yards, he swiveled, then smashed a shot far post. Seattle goalkeeper Chris Eylander dove to his right in vain.
A former World Cup player with the Japanese national team, Suzuki said through an interpreter that he had never scored from so far out.
Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer called it a "world-class goal." Suzuki "did us in tonight."
But not before the reigning United Soccer Leagues First Division champion Sounders (0-1-1, 1) peppered Timbers goalkeeper Ray Burse with several dangerous shots. Another first-year Portland player, Burse asserted himself more, rushing forward to grab incoming balls. He finished with six saves.
Then in the 76th minute, Suzuki helped ice the game. Running down the wing, he sent a pass inside to former University of Portland standout Miguel Guante. Splitting two defenders with a burst forward, he fired a low right-footed shot. Again, Eylander had no chance.
"We couldn't ask for a better start," Guante said. "But we can't get ahead of ourselves. In this league, as easy as you win three, you could lose three."
The Timbers have an 11-day layoff before going for win No.4 against Rochester on May 8.
Notes:Portland outshot Seattle 17-12. ... Defender Tim Karalexis and Guante started their first game of the season Saturday.
The Bottom Line: The Portland Timbers made it three victories in a row at PGE Park to open the 2008 season with a 2-0 triumph over Northwest rival Seattle Sounders in front of 9,894 on a beautiful spring night in Portland. Takayuki Suzuki scored a brilliant goal in the 6th minute to give the Timbers the early lead. Portland withstood a consistent Seattle attack for most of the first half. In the second half, Suzuki found Miguel Guante with a pass just outside the box and the former University of Portland midfielder beat Seattle keeper Chris Eylander with a low shot to the corner to lift the Timbers to a 2-0 victory. Ray Burse picked up his second shutout in three games. The Timbers have not lost in 17 regular season home games. They are now eight points clear of the defending league champion Sounders. (ry Three Stars 1. Takayuki Suzuki - The Mighty Man from Japan had a huge effort. His goal was a thing of beauty. He took a long pass from Chris Brown, went against three Sounders defenders, and drilled a world-class goal to that beat Eylander to the left corner. You won’t see many players at this level capable of such a goal. He also had a cheeky little pass to set up Guante’s goal and he was big in the air all night. (ry
Did you notice….? * The Timbers really struggled in the first half. The Suzuki goal happened so quickly and then there was a letdown that lasted for 30 minutes. Seattle dominated the possession. They dominated the chances. And the Timbers spent most of the time chasing the ball, something you don’t want to see from a team that is playing its second game in three night. The second half was a much better effort with more ball control and less north-south long ball. We’ve seen in all three games that the Timbers were better conditioned than their opponents. I didn’t expect that coming off a game on Thursday. (ry Final Thoughts: - Three wins from three games. An unsteady, yet excellent performance against one of the top teams in the USL First Division. Sure there is room for improvement, but Gavin Wilkinson has to be pleased with what he has seen so far this year. He has addressed the team’s greatest weakness from last season. Last season the forwards scored 11 goals. This year Suzuki and Brown already have combined for three. The attack is much more dangerous and the defense has largely picked up from where it left off. Seattle will improve as the season progresses, they always do, but this was a good message game from the Timbers. Now we can only hope that they can get a little sharper and maintain the fitness during the two weeks they have off until they play Rochester. I look forward to reading Brian Schmetzer’s excuses in the monring. What a time to be a Timbers fan!
It obvious that Takayuki Suzuki was the man of the match tonight but an important note to make is that tonight was the first time the defense has felt a bit of real pressure. Substantial portions of tonight’s match were controlled by Seattle’s offense but our unstoppable defense provided the second shut out of the season showing that the boys in green will deliver a championship.
I apologize, my excitement for tonight’s match only allowed me to keep track of goals and bookings.
スレッドのコメント マッチョな白人男を想像してちょっと萌えたw >If Taka doesn't get goal of the week on the USL site...then something is seriously wrong with the world! Agreed. I almost cried at how beautfiul that goal was...
PORTLAND, Ore. – With a three-point performance against the Seattle Sounders this weekend, Portland Timbers forward Takayuki Suzuki was named the USL First Fist Division Player of the Week for Week 2, it was announced today by United Soccer Leagues. Additionally, midfielder Shaun Higgins, defender Scot Thompson and goalkeeper Ray Burse earned Team of the Week honors.
Suzuki, 31, recorded a goal and an assist in the Timbers’ 2-0 win over Seattle on April 26 at PGE Park. He found his first goal of the season in the sixth minute with a 22-yard shot from the top right corner of the box to give Portland a 1-0 lead. Late in the match, Suzuki set up midfielder Miguel Guante’s 76th minute strike.
A 2002 World Cup participant with the Japanese National Team, Suzuki has started each of the team’s first three matches in 2008. This is his first Player of the Week selection.
USL First Division Team of the Week Pos Name Team Highlights G Ray Burse Portland Six saves in 2-0 win over Seattle D Stephen de Roux Minnesota Led team in 1-0 win at Vancouver D Scot Thompson Portland Led team to pair of wins D Marco Reda Charleston Led team in 1-0 loss at Carolina M Shaun Higgins Portland Game-winner in 2-1 win over Minnesota M Osei Telesford Puerto Rico Game-winner in 3-1 win over Miami M Ansu Toure Atlanta Led team in 3-2 win over Montreal M Patrick Leduc Montreal Goal, assist in 3-2 loss at Atlanta F Juan Pablo Galavis Miami Goal in 2-0 win at Puerto Rico F Takayuki Suzuki Portland Goal, assist in 2-0 win over Seattle F Connally Edozien Carolina Game-winner in 1-0 win over Charleston
His goal against Seattle will certainly be a candidate for goal of the season, his effort on his assist was second to none, and as a reward Portland Timbers forward Takayuki Suzuki has been named USL First Division Player of the Week. The Mighty Man from Japan was huge in a pair of Portland wins. He is one of four players to earn recognition from the United Soccer Leagues this week. Keeper Ray Burse, defender Scot with one T Thompson, and Shaun Higgins also are on the Team of the Week. Suzuki’s goal will undoubtedly be the Goal of the Week when that is announced later this week.
That might explain why we didn’t see Merritt wielding a chainsaw in Portland this past weekend. オーナー自らアレやるのかw ネタの文章かも知れないが。
Hopefully Merritt was busy rubbing elbows with folks in DC who might help out with his efforts to deliver an MLS team to Portland. MLS入りの期待はあるみたいだね。オーナーは長期計画でやる気十分みたいだし。
http://wweek.com/wwire/?p=11794 Best of Portland Update: Suzuki runs over Oden, Geek pwns blogs, Emerson fans represent May 5th 2008 5:18pm
One week into WW's 2008 Best of Portland survey, we're pushing 600 ballots, and the campaign for Takayuki Suzuki appears to be a smashing success. Timbers fans, fully one-sixth of the ballots we've received name Suzuki as Portland's best athlete. But don't rest now. The poll is still open for another 26 days—more than enough time for another franchise to launch a counteroffensive. And what about you, Blazer's Edge? Brandon Roy is only trailing Suzuki by a slim margin. You could still turn this around. As for Blazers management—are you guys even trying? Greg Oden's only got 8 votes to his name!
On the Best Activist front, Steve Novick and Jefferson Smith—both of whom are, as you might have noticed, running for public office—are currently in the lead. But who's that sneaking up behind? None other than Zetaman! All right, big Z!
Among bloggers, Geek in the City is trashing previous winners bojack.org and portlandfoodanddrink.com. B!X is nowhere to be seen, to say nothing of Urban Honking. Come on, guys!
Among radio hosts, Rick Emerson is destroying the competition. That means the rest of you broadcast professionals have some catching up to do. Cort and Fatboy, I mean you. And you, Daria.
Timbers To Play Juventus Primavera June 14 The Portland Timbers will face Juventus Primavera on June 14 at PGE Park at 7 p.m., it was announced today. Portland is one of three stops for Juventus Primavera on a preseason tour of the United States. defender Salvatore D'Elia, midfielder Luca Castiglia and forward Donato Bottone, who scored a goal in a friendly against Biellese earlier this season.
http://timbers.theoffside.com/match-reports/match-4-portland-timbers-0-0-rochester-rhinos.html Match 4: Portland Timbers 0-0 Rochester Rhinos (ry Three Stars - This is really, really tough to decide. Here goes nothing…. 1. Rochester’s backline - The Rhinos were well-organized for most of the contest and they did a great job of limiting the touches of the Timbers’ strikeforce. They kicked, clutched and generally frustrated Takayuki Suzuki all night. (ry * The only attack the Timbers could muster in the first half came off of Suzuki’s poaching and pressure. He and Brown are experts at forcing the opposing defenders and keepers to hurry. That is great but it is no substitute for a legitimate offensive build up. Other than a couple of occasions we didn’t see anything resembling that from either team. * Suzuki’s shirt was ripped in the front in the first half. These Nike kits must be made from paper. This is the third time this year that a player’s shirt has torn. The local Fortune 500 shouldn’t be proud of this product. (ry * Am I the only one who thinks it is time to give Suzuki a shot at taking free kicks? Gregor has been great at these over the years and the team scored a bunch of goals off of his set pieces last season, but this year his free kicks and corner kicks have been consistently low and right at the opposition. Suzuki was a set piece specialist for Japan. I’d like to see him at least line up over the ball when there is an opportunity for a shot on goal. And while I am ripping Gregor, the fact that he called Bagley off of a corner in stoppage time was just selfish. In that situation you let your teammate take it to preserve some of the clock.
* I thought Scott Vallow was going to punch Suzuki after Taka picked up a card for a late challenge against Kreamalmayer. The old man in goal hasn’t been that fired up since he ran out of Mutamucil last week. The couple of times there were shots on goal he looked unsteady. It is too bad the Timbers didn’t challenge him more often. (ry * I had the pleasure of looking after a fan who traveled from Japan for the game. She had never been to the United States before and came just to see Takayuki Suzuki. That is hardcore. There is word that an entire group will be flying in from Japan for the games over Memorial Day weekend. Suzuki is single handedly helping Portland’s tourism. I love it. (ry
http://timbers.soccercityusa.com/roc050808.htm Timbers can't find finishing touch, draw 0-0 with Rhinos (ry Two minutes into the second half, the Timbers would have a good scoring chance as Brown and Takayuki Suzuki played a nice series of passes until Suzuki had a good look from near the top of the Rhinos box, but hit his shot well right of goal.
After trading yellow cards in the 56th and 57th minute, first on a hard tackle by Suzuki on Kreamalmeyer, then a retaliatory foul on Suzuki by Leslie Fitzpatrick only seconds later, the Timbers continued to control much of the possession, but neither team would have a good scoring chance through the middle part of the second half.
As the match entered the final 15 minutes, the Rhinos seemed to be tiring and the Timbers started to dominate play, and for the rest of the match the Rhinos were putting six players behind the ball, attempting to preserve the road draw. In the 77th minute, the first of several chances was started by a run across the top of the box by Suzuki, who dropped the ball to Bryan Little, who didn’t get much on a low shot that Vallow would smother at the post.
One minute later, the Timbers had a chance that seemed easier to score than to miss, when a ball from Leonard Griffin into the box was headed by Suzuki, then by Justin Thompson, and fell to the foot of Brown, wide-open only six yards out, but his shot missed so badly to the right that it was almost nearer to the flag than the post.
Takayuki Suzuki welcomes former Timbers midfielder Luke Kreamalmayer back to Portland and Scott Vallow is none too pleased. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzCGSjt-Y2A ------ 何で黄紙?
http://www.portlandtimbers.com/newsroom/headlines/index.html?article_id=794 Timbers earn point with scorless draw in Seattle (ry Timber forward paced the team with a pair of shots on the night, including a long-range attempt by forward Takayuki Suzuki early in the second half. His low drive from 25 yards out skimmed off the ground and wide of the right post. Suzuki also had a header sail over the crossbar during second-half stoppage time. (ry
Lineups: POR: GK Burse, D S. Tompson, D Knowles, D J. Thompson, D Griffin, M Higgins, M Poltl, M Gregor (Guante, 64), F Bagley (Oka, 68), F Brown (Little, 73), F Suzuki (Olum, 89)
SEA: GK Eylander, D Sakuda, D Graham, D Jackson, D Scott, M Alcaraz-Cuellar, M O'Brien (Kante, 79), M Treschuk, M Gardner, F Schmid (Cascio, 64), F LeToux
* This was the most interesting lineup Gavin Wilkinson has started in his reign as manager. He had Bagley, Brown and Suzuki all in the starting lineup, but only Bagley was playing in a true forward position. Suzuki and Brown did an excellent job cracking back on the wings defensively and Gregor was free to roam on the offensive end. I like this lineup in theory, although I was surprised Suzuki, a natural left footed player played on the right side and Brown, a right footed played, was on the left. I would have guessed that Suzuki would have been the target with Brown on the left and Bagley on the right. It was probably a 4-5-1 but at times it looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Poltl and Higgins sharing stopper roles. When Bagley came out Suzuki moved up top as the lone striker. This is a defensive lineup but with offensive pieces.
(ry
* Seattle’s USL Live announcers mentioned that Teen People have been out to interview Takayuki Suzuki. I subscribed to Teen People during halftime.
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http://timbers.theoffside.com/match-reports/match-6-puerto-rico-islanders-2-2-portland-timbers.html#more-295 Match 6: Puerto Rico Islanders 2-2 Portland Timbers By: Bob Kellett | May 16th, 2008 (ry Timbers Lineup: Burse S. Thompson Knowles J. Thompson Griffin (Little 45) Olum (Bagley 75) Gregor Higgins Guante Suzuki (Karalexis 89) Brown (Poltl 88) (ry Did you notice….? (ry * My heart missed a beat in the 83rd minute or so when the Timbers had a set piece opportunity within shooting distance of the goal. Takayuki Suzuki stood over the ball like he would take it. Of course he didn’t, Gregor did, but it was nice to see that Taka is at least now being considered as an option. Gregor’s effort, by the way, was a decent one. Just off the mark. He had the keeper beaten. (ry
04/17 ○1-0(90分 黄) H Puerto Rico Islanders 04/24 ○2-1(75分) H Minnesota Thunder 04/26 ○2-0(81分 1G1A) H Seattle Sounders 05/08 △0-0(90分 黄) H Rochester Raging Rhinos 05/10 △0-0(89分) A Seattle Sounders 05/16 △2-2(89分) A Puerto Rico Islanders 05/18 △0-0(90分) A Miami FC Blues 05/24 ●0-1(90分) H Vancouver Whitecaps 05/26 14:00 H Miami FC Blues 05/30 17:00 A Montreal Impact 06/01 15:00 A Rochester Raging Rhinos 06/05 19:00 H Minnesota Thunder 06/07 19:00 A Vancouver Whitecaps 06/12 19:00 H Atlanta Silverbacks 06/27 17:00 A Carolina RailHawks 06/28 16:55 A Atlanta Silverbacks 07/10 19:00 H Puerto Rico Islanders 07/18 16:55 A Atlanta Silverbacks 07/19 16:30 A Charleston Battery 07/24 19:00 H Carolina RailHawks 08/02 17:05 A Minnesota Thunder 08/07 20:00 H Seattle Sounders 08/09 19:00 H Charleston Battery 08/16 19:00 H Montreal Impact 08/22 20:00 A Vancouver Whitecaps 08/27 16:30 A Montreal Impact 09/04 19:00 H Miami FC Blues 09/06 16:35 A Rochester Raging Rhinos 09/11 19:00 H Charleston Battery 09/20 16:30 A Carolina RailHawks
============ 戦没将兵追悼記念日で祝日なんですね。 ↓公式から Fans are welcome to bring their soccer-loving dogs to the park on Monday as the Timbers square off against the Blues to help salute those who serve and have served in the U.S. military on Memorial Day. お犬様大歓迎?どういうこと?