Defiance upset bid on Timbers falls short in 3-2 loss

Tacoma Defiance preparing for Portland Timbers U.S. Open Cup match

The Tacoma Defiance is preparing for their rival Portland Timbers in Tuesday's U.S. Open cup round of 32 match.

TUKWILA, Wash. - Kevin Kelsy scored on a penalty kick in the 93rd minute as an upset bid from the Tacoma Defiance against the Portland Timbers fell just short in a 3-2 loss in the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night.

Georgi Minoungou was called for a foul in the box in the closing stages of stoppage time that awarded Portland the chance for the penalty kick. Minoungou – who assisted on both goals for Tacoma in the game – pulled on the back of a Timbers player's jersey to draw the foul.

Kelsy buried the kick into the back of the net as Tacoma goaltender Andrew Thomas guessed the wrong way as the Timbers jumped out front.

One last opportunity off a corner kick for Tacoma led to last-second chaos in front of the Portland goal, but the ball was cleared out of play and the final whistle sounded as the Timbers advanced to the Round of 16.

Osaze De Rosario and Yu Tsukanome each scored early in the second half for Tacoma as the MLS NEXT Pro affiliate of the Seattle Sounders appeared poised for the upset.

The Defiance actually controlled play for large stretches of the first half and created several chances, but Portland broke through for the opening goal.

A corner kick from Ariel Lassiter in the 33rd minute was headed home by defenseman Zac McGraw amid heavy complaints from Tacoma. Thomas was run into in the box and knocked down to the ground by a Portland player, which impeded his ability to defend the goal. Thomas and many Defiance players argued about the missed foul to no avail.

But Tacoma answered back quickly early in the second half as Tsukanome came into the game as a substitution at the break.

Tsukanome found Minoungou out wide on the flank of the Timbers' defense. Minoungou dribbled by a defender and a cross found Osaze De Rosario on the back post for a tap-in finish to tie the game at 1-1 in the 48th minute.

Moments later, Tuskanome put the Defiance on top.

Minoungou again controlled the ball on the right flank with a centering pass to the front of the net. Tsukanome delivered the go-ahead tally with a finish inside the left post for a 2-1 Defiance lead in the 50th minute.

Portland began to press hard as they tried to find the equalizer and Gage Guerra delivered in the 80th minute. A perfect cross from Ian Smith found an unmarked Guerra in the box for a header that easily beat Thomas to make it a 2-2 game.

De Rosario nearly found another goal in the 82nd minute looking to answer the tying tally, only for Maxime Crépeau to make a diving save to keep the header out of the net. Another header off a Reed Baker-Whiting cross for Stuart Hawkins was saved by Crépeau in the 85th minute.

Thomas answered with a save on a Kelsy blast for Tacoma a minute later, and again in the 88th minute as the match appeared headed for extra time. Instead, the foul from Minoungou allowed Kelsy to deliver the finishing blow for the Timbers.

The Defiance earned a spot in the Round of 32 with victories over Washington Athletic Club (3-1), Spokane Velocity FC (2-1), and Oakland Roots FC (2-1) in the first three rounds of the tournament. Meanwhile, the Timbers received an automatic berth into the Round of 32 as one of 16 MLS teams in the tournament.

The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.