April 28, 2001
Patriots 2, Timbers 1 (OT)
EL PASO, Texas - The Timbers opened their inaugural A-League season in El Paso against the Patriots, taking an early lead on a goal from Bryan Kelly, a player on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Timbers, however, were unable to protect the lead as Gustavo Leal scored the game’s winning goal 10 minutes into overtime to defeat the Timbers 2-1 in El Paso.
RECORD: 0-1-0 (0 points)
May 5, 2001
Blitzz 2, Timbers 1 (OT) (U.S. Open Cup)
SALT LAKE CITY - For the second straight game, the Timbers roared out to an early lead, taking a 1-0 advantage in the 57th minute on a goal by Michael O’Neill. But the D3 Blitzz tied the match in stoppage time on a goal by defender Adolfo Ovalle, winning in the 107th minute on a goal by William Cummins.
May 6, 2001
Timbers 4, Aces 1 (U.S. Open Cup)
RENO, Nev. - Playing their second game in as many nights, the Timbers took a while to find their fitness, but finally found the net late in the first half on a goal by Michael O’Neill. The Timbers then exploded for three goals in the second half by rookie Vadim Tolstolutsky, Mark Baena, and another by O’Neill as the Timbers tallied a comfortable 4-1 win.
May 11, 2001
Timbers 2, Sounders 0 (U.S. Open Cup)
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Timbers’ first A-League home game brought more than 12,000 excited fans to PGE Park, and it didn’t take long for the Timbers to take the lead when a pass from Darren Sawatzky to Mark Baena had Baena in alone as he pulled the Sounders goalkeeper off his line, then calmly beat the goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead. Thirteen minutes later, the Timbers doubled their lead on a header by defender Brent Sancho off a Sawatzky corner kick. That’s all the Timbers would need as they secured their first A-League victory with a 2-0 shutout of the Sounders.
RECORD: 1-1-0 (4 points)
May 12, 2001
Sounders 2, Timbers 1 (OT) (U.S. Open Cup)
SEATTLE - For the fifth time in five matches, the Timbers scored first, this time on a penalty kick by Darren Sawatzky in the 32nd minute. The Timbers could not hold on to the lead and the Sounders tied the match in the 62nd minute on a goal by Scott Jenkins. The match seemed headed to a draw until Kei Kinoshita beat Portland goalkeeper Matt Napoleon to a loose ball in the final minute of overtime and chipped it over his head for a 2-1 Sounders win.
RECORD: 1-2-0 (4 points)
May 19, 2001
Timbers 1, Aces 0 (U.S. Open Cup)
PORTLAND, Ore. - In a match in which the Timbers out-shot their D3 opponents by a 31-7 count, the Timbers found the net only once, on a Greg Howes header in the 25th minute. Howes’ score would be enough as the Timbers controlled the ball for much of the game and secured the victory after Matt Napoleon made a few key saves late in the match to keep a clean slate.
May 23, 2001
Timbers 2, Patriots 1
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Timbers moved back to the .500 level after getting first-half goals from Michael O’Neill and Darren Sawatzky, but Portland had to fight off a furious comeback attempt from the Patriots, who pulled to within one on a goal by Carlos Farias in the 63rd minute. In the end, the Timbers defense and Matt Napoleon’s goalkeeping were enough to hold on for the win.
RECORD: 2-2-0 (8 points)
May 26, 2001
Timbers 4, Flash 3
SAN DIEGO - The Timbers traveled to San Diego to meet the Flash for the first time, with two former Flash players, Mark Baena and Kevin Legg, helping the Timbers hold off a late San Diego charge. Baena set up Darren Sawatzky in the third minute for an early lead, then added his own goal for a 2-0 advantage. After the Flash pulled back a goal during first-half stoppage time, Baena added two more in the second half for a 4-1 lead. Chugger Adair later scored twice to pull the Flash within a goal at 4-3.
RECORD: 3-2-0 (13 points)
June 2, 2001
Timbers 1, Flash 0
PORTLAND, Ore. - Contrary to the offensive showcase displayed by the two teams a week earlier in San Diego, the return game in Portland turned out to be a defensive grudge match. Mark Baena would chest down a Keith Costigan cross, then beat Flash goalkeeper Matt Hall in the 21st minute as the Timbers won their third straight A-League game, 1-0.
RECORD: 4-2-0 (17 points)
June 4, 2001
Timbers 2, Earthquakes 1 (MLS Exhibition)
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Timbers welcomed MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes to PGE Park for their first major exhibition and came away with a close 2-1 victory. Jesus Ochoa put the Timbers up in the 24th minute when he ran onto a ball headed into his run by Mark Baena, and hit a full volley past ’keeper Jon Conway for the 1-0 lead. The Earthquakes leveled the score late in the first half on a penalty kick by Ramiro Corrales, but the Timbers would take the victory on a Kevin Legg header in the 74th minute over San Jose, which later went on to win the 2001 MLS Cup.
June 6, 2001
Timbers 3, Thunder 1
PORTLAND, Ore. - Minnesota struck first, as Gerard Lagos blasted a cross past Matt Napoleon in the 38th minute for the 1-0 lead. Mark Baena evened the match just before halftime, and the Timbers scored twice late in the second half to put the game away on goals by Darren Sawatzky and Baena.
RECORD: 5-2-0 (22 points)
June 9, 2001
Blitzz 3, Timbers 1 (U.S. Open Cup)
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Timbers entered their final U.S. Open Cup Qualifier with a chance to advance in the tournament with a win (and a San Diego loss), but they fell flat against the D3 Utah Blitzz in a 3-1 defeat. Utah took a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute when Adolfo Ovalle headed in a B.J. McNicol free kick, but the Timbers tied things up in the 49th minute when Darren Sawatzky knocked a free ball into the mostly empty Utah net. In the end, the Timbers gave up two Utah goals in the final 20 minutes, as they were eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup, 3-1.
June 13, 2001
Timbers 1, Whitecaps 1 (OT)
PORTLAND, Ore. - After a hard-fought, scoreless 72 minutes, it was the Whitecaps who would break through first in the 73rd minute on a goal by Terry St. Louis. Entering stoppage time, Portland goalkeeper Matt Napoleon charged to midfield to play the ball back into the box, and after a Keith Costigan cross, Vadim Tolstolutsky unloaded with a shot from 25 yards out that went through the Vancouver ‘keeper’s hands and into the net to tie things up. Neither team scored in overtime and the Timbers notched their first draw of the season.
RECORD:5-2-1 (23 points)
June 16, 2001
Timbers 1, Thunder 0
BLAINE, Minn. - The Timbers out-shot the Thunder 4-1 in a defensive battle on the road, but only Portland would find the net, converting its only good scoring chance of the night in the 55th minute off a corner kick by Vadim Tolstolutsky. The ball curled to the top of the box where Keith Costigan blasted a shot towards net that was blocked by Thunder goalkeeper John Swallen. The rebound found the foot of Mark Baena, who slipped the ball through a maze of Thunder defenders for the only goal of the match.
RECORD: 6-2-1 (27 points)
June 29, 2001
Whitecaps 1, Timbers 0
PORTLAND, Ore. - After tallying their first road shutout of the year in Minnesota, the Timbers returned home to suffer their first shutout at home, a 1-0 loss to Vancouver. The Timbers gave up the only goal of the match in the 62nd minute when a shot by Alfredo Valente deflected off defender Matt Chulis and into the net for the win.
RECORD: 6-3-1 (27 points)
July 3, 2001
Timbers 3, Flash 2
PORTLAND, Ore. - A scoreless first half would see Greg Howes score twice, in the 48th and 71st minutes to put the Timbers up, 2-0. Darren Sawatzky added a third goal eight minutes later to give Portland a comfortable 3-0 lead. The Flash scored two quick goals in the last two minutes of regulation to pull the score to 3-2, but it was too little, too late for the visitors from San Diego.
RECORD: 7-3-1 (32 points)
July 9, 2001
Timbers 1, Rampage 0
PORTLAND, Ore. - In a physical, evenly played match, only the Timbers managed to find the net in a 1-0 win at PGE Park. The lone goal came in the 21st minute when Michael O’Neill took a Darren Sawatzky pass at the top of the box and knocked in a shot just under the bar for the victory.
RECORD: 8-3-1 (36 points)
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July 13, 2001
Timbers 0, Seattle 0 (OT)
SEATTLE - In the first of a string of seven road matches out of the next eight, the Timbers emerged with a 0-0 draw against the Sounders in Seattle. Portland was out-shot 25-19 in a physical match, which saw 44 fouls between the two teams.
RECORD: 8-3-2 (37 points)
July 15, 2001
Whitecaps 4, Timbers 0
BURNABY, B.C. - The Timbers traveled north of the border for the first time all season and were welcomed with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Whitecaps. Goalkeeper Matt Napoleon made several clutch saves to keep the match closer than it could have been, as Steve Kindel, Jason Jordan, Oliver Heald, and Johnny Sulentic all found the net for the Whitecaps.
RECORD: 8-4-2 (37 points)
July 21, 2001
Sounders 1, Timbers 0
PORTLAND, Ore. - Although the crowd at PGE Park topped 11,000 for the second time in 2001, it was the Sounders who had the upper hand, as the Timbers were shut out for the third-straight match. Brian Ching’s goal in the seventh minute would be all the Sounders needed, as they out-shot the Timbers, 10-5 and earned 11 corners to the Timbers’ two.
RECORD: 8-5-2 (37 points)
July 27, 2001
Thunder 2, Timbers 1 (OT)
BLAINE, Minn. - The Timbers took an early 1-0 lead on a drizzly night in Blaine, Minnesota on a goal in the 22nd minute by Mark Baena. The Thunder would equalize nine minutes later on a penalty kick by Morgan Zeba and take the victory nine minutes into overtime when Amos Magee knocked in a rebound off a Johnny Menyongar shot for the 2-1 win.
RECORD: 8-6-2 (37 points)
July 28, 2001
Timbers 3, Rampage 2 (OT)
FRANKLIN, Wis. - The Timbers snapped a four-game winless streak in Milwaukee, fighting back from one-goal deficits twice, first on a Vadim Tolstolutsky goal in the 35th minute, second in stoppage time when Jeff Clarke slammed home a Michael O’Neill header to tie the score just before full time. Deep into the second overtime, the Milwaukee connection would win it for the Timbers, as Milwaukee Wave indoor teammates Tony McPeak and Greg Howes teamed up for the game-winner, with Howes knocking in the clincher.
RECORD: 9-6-2 (42 points)
August 3, 2001
Lynx 3, Timbers 0
TORONTO - The Timbers made the trip to Canada for the second time, and for the second time, they were unable to find the net, while their opponents, the Toronto Lynx, found it three times for the 3-0 shutout. The Lynx took advantage of lapses by the Timbers defense, with Juan Arango scoring twice and Waldo Sponton adding a third goal as the Timbers suffered their fourth shutout in six matches and lost their seventh game of the season.
RECORD: 9-7-2 (42 points)
August 5, 2001
Raging Rhinos 1, Timbers 0 (OT)
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Struggling to score goals, things would get no easier for the Timbers, as they traveled to Frontier Field to take on the defending champion Rochester Raging Rhinos. Both sides had their chances to score during regulation, but the Rhinos managed to extend their home winning streak to 25 games when Jamel Mitchell beat a charging Matt Napoleon with a 25-yard shot five minutes into overtime, sealing the 1-0 win.
RECORD: 9-8-2 (42 points)
August 10, 2001
Whitecaps 3, Timbers 1
BURNABY, B.C. - The Whitecaps’ Jason Johnson tallied a goal and two assists as Vancouver completed a two-game season sweep of the Timbers on their home turf. The loss made it three-straight for the Timbers, as Greg Howes scored the lone goal for Portland.
RECORD: 9-9-2 (42 points)
August 22, 2001
Timbers 2, Thunder 1 (OT)
PORTLAND, Ore. - An early goal by Jeff Clarke put the Timbers up 1-0, but the Thunder would equalize shortly afterwards on a goal by Steve Armas. The game went into overtime and Clarke once again found the net nine minutes into extra time to put the Timbers back above .500, and into the thick of the playoff race.
RECORD: 10-9-2 (46 points)
August 24, 2001
Timbers 3, Eagles 3 (OT)
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Charlotte Eagles made their first-ever trip to PGE Park with both teams looking to strengthen their playoff hopes. The Timbers jumped out to a 3-1 lead on two goals by Mark Baena and a score by Gavin Wilkinson, but the lead would not last. Charlotte pulled within 3-2 on a 68th-minute goal by Dustin Swinehart, then tied the match in the 78th minute on a penalty kick by Leo Gajardo. Neither team managed to score in overtime in the 3-3 draw.
RECORD: 10-9-3 (48 points)
August 26, 2001
Timbers 2, Battery 0
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Charleston Battery had no answer for the Timbers on a warm day at PGE Park, as Greg Howes gave Portland the lead just six minutes into the match and Michael O’Neill doubled the margin in the 25th minute. The Timbers would shut down the Battery for the rest of the match as they extended their unbeaten streak to three games.
RECORD: 11-9-3 (52 points)
August 30, 2001
Timbers 5, Rampage 2
PORTLAND, Ore. - Building steam towards a possible playoff berth, the Timbers’ offense exploded for their biggest goal output of the season in a 5-2 win over Milwaukee. After Mark Baena put the Timbers up in the seventh minute, Milwaukee evened the score shortly afterwards on a Judah Cooks goal. Greg Howes later scored twice before halftime, then Michael O’Neill added two more of his own in the second half.
RECORD: 12-9-3 (57 points)
September 7, 2001
Flash 2, Timbers 1
SAN DIEGO - Despite taking the lead in a 60th minute penalty kick by Gavin Wilkinson, the Timbers were unable to hold the lead. San Diego scored twice late, the first on a header by Chugger Adair, later on the game-winner by Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar. Ironically, both Adair and Alcaraz-Cuellar would suit up in Portland Timbers uniforms for the 2002 season.
RECORD: 12-10-3 (57 points)
September 8, 2001
Timbers 3, Patriots 1
EL PASO, Texas - Needing just one point to secure a playoff berth, Scott Benedetti made it clear the Timbers weren’t going to play it safe as he scored twice in the first half to give the Timbers a 2-0 halftime lead. Mark Baena knocked in an insurance goal in the 70th minute, as the Timbers earned a 3-1 victory and a playoff spot in their inaugural A-League season.
RECORD: 13-10-3 (62 points)
PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
September 20, 2001
Timbers 2, Eagles 0
PORTLAND, Ore. - The events of September 11 delayed the postseason for a week, but when the league decided the best thing to do was press on with the playoffs, the No. 7 seed Charlotte Eagles returned to Portland for the first playoff round. The Timbers ran out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Darin Lewis and Mark Baena inside the first 20 minutes, but unlike the last time Charlotte visited, the Timbers held onto their 2-0 lead and took a 2-0 aggregate-goal advantage to Charlotte for the second leg of the first round.
September 22, 2001
Timbers 3, Eagles 2
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Charlotte took a 1-0 lead in just the 16th minute on a goal by Dustin Swinehart, but seven minutes later the Timbers regained their two-goal aggregate lead on a goal by Michael O’Neill. The Eagles once again pulled to within one goal on a strike by Joey Johnson, but the Timbers answered again and secured their playoff victory with late goals by Scott Benedetti and Greg Howes for a 3-2 win, and a 5-2 win in the two-game aggregate series.
PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
September 27, 2001
Wildcats 2, Timbers 0
PORTLAND, Ore. - The second-seeded Hershey Wildcats arrived at PGE Park for a tight defensive match, with only nine shots being put on goal between the two teams. The game was still scoreless in the 62nd minute when Hershey’s Chad Evans was sent off for an apparent head butt to Jeff Clarke. However, the Wildcats held the momentum, scoring twice in the next 15 minutes on goals by Doug Watson and Fred Degand to take a commanding 2-0 aggregate lead back to Hershey for the second leg.
September 29, 2001
Wildcats 1, Timbers 0
HERSHEY, Pa. - The Timbers knew the odds were against them in Hershey as they had a two-goal deficit to overcome, and their hopes were dashed in the 28th minute when a goal by Mike Feniger gave the Wildcats a 3-0 aggregate lead. The Timbers out-shot the Wildcats 8-5 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to continue the season. |
