Alpha ends campaign with 0-6 loss

Alpha United’s CONCACAF Champions League group campaign concluded as it started with another disappointing loss as they went down to MLS unit Portland Timbers 0-6 on Tuesday at Providence Park Stadium in Portland Oregon.

Portland Timbers which defeated Alpha United by a 4-1 score line in their earlier group match was indebted to centre half Norberto Paparatto who led the scoring for the home side with a second half double in the 61st and 88th minutes.

He was assisted by Jack Jewsbury, Gaston Fernandez, Michael Nanchoff and Fanendo Adi who were on target in the 11th, 37th, 50th and 75th minutes correspondingly.

With the loss, Alpha United suffered their fourth consecutive defeat in their maiden CONCACAF Champions League campaign,

Jack Jewsbury of Portland Timbers in the process of scoring the opening goal against Alpha United while centrehalf Quincy Madramootoo pursues in vain.
Jack Jewsbury of Portland Timbers in the process of scoring the opening goal against Alpha United while centrehalf Quincy Madramootoo pursues in vain.

scoring only one goal while conceding 17 in the process to finish with a goal difference of -16 and zero points.

Contested under wet conditions, captain Jewsbury broke the early deadlock with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner after latching onto a lobbed Michael Harrington left sided pass.

The lead would be doubled 25 minutes later when Fernandez netted. He duly slotted his first time right-footed strike into the top right hand corner upon receiving a flat Maximiliano Urruti right sided cross within centre of area, after defender Quincy Madramootoo missed an attempted clearance.

Struggling to generate any type of offensive rhythm, Alpha United would fashion their best chance of the half in the 41st minute as a powerful Aldair Paredes left-footed strike from the centre of the park, flew narrowly wide of the lower right hand corner.

It would then become 3-0 four minutes after the resumption of the second stanza as midfielder Nanchoff etched his name on the scorer’s sheet.

Receiving a Ben Zemanski pass just outside the right side of the penalty box following a shortly taken corner kick, Nanchoff would rifle his flat right footed attempt into the lower left hand corner, evading the outstretched hands of the diving Ronson Williams.

A thorn in the home side going forward, Paredes should have pulled one back for Alpha in the 57th minute.

Alpha United’s Caio Oliviera (right) challenges Portland Timbers Taylor Peay for possession of the ball during their side’s CONCACAF Champions’ League group fixture Tuesday night.
Alpha United’s Caio Oliviera (right) challenges Portland Timbers Taylor Peay for possession of the ball during their side’s CONCACAF Champions’ League group fixture Tuesday night.

Skipping past markers after picking up the ball outside the centre of the box, the diminutive midfielder, with only the goalkeeper to beat and teammate Dwight Peters screaming unmarked at the far post, would selfishly choose to take the shot, only to be denied by the advancing custodian Jake Gleeson.

Like falling rain, the goals would continue to pour as the Timbers netted once more through a stooping Paparatto header from the centre of the box into back of the net after he latched onto a right-sided corner kick from Nanchoff.

Replacing Urruti in the 71st minute, substitute forward Adi would then make it 5-0 four minutes on, driving his left-footed strike into roof of the left corner upon holding off his challenging marker, after collecting a Rodney Wallace pass from left side of the wing.

The score line would then be completed one minute before the commencement of stoppage time as Paparatto sealed his brace with a well-placed header into the back of net after collecting another Nanchoff cross from a left sided corner kick within the centre of the penalty box.

 

Current Point Standings

Team                                Pld    W    D    L    GF    GA    GD    Pts

Portland Timbers        3        3     0    0    14    3      +11     9

Olimpia                            3        2     0    1      9     4      +5       6

Alpha United                 4        0    0    4    1    17      -16      0