May 22, 2006 USL Portland Timbers vs Toronto Lynx (from The Oregonian)

Portland 2, Toronto 1 Lineup changes provide a boost for Timbers

FACTBOX
• The Timbers

Monday, May 22, 2006
GEOFFREY C. ARNOLD

Portland Timbers coach Chris Agnello, fed up with the team's losing streak and listless play during Friday's loss against Rochester, implied that changes would be made in an effort to motivate his squad.

The changes came against Toronto on Sunday, and the result was exactly what the Timbers needed against the last-place Lynx. The Timbers scored two second-half goals for a 2-1 win in front of 3,369 at PGE Park.

Luke Kreamalmeyer and Oral Bullen scored the goals as the Timbers (2-4-1) snapped a three-game losing streak and revived their sagging spirits.

"This is a great boost of confidence," Agnello said. "The boys came out and showed that we can play the game."

The changes by Agnello put the players on notice that no one is immune from being benched if they're not playing up to his standards.

Friday, he said, "I'm looking for players who want to be a part of this squad next year. So in a sense, every game, every training session, every match is a tryout for these players from this point forward. I've never had a problem in the past finding the right guys and I'll do it here as well."

Agnello benched forward Chad Bartlome and moved midfielder Mamba Chisoni to forward while inserting Kreamalmeyer into Chisoni's former position Sunday.

Agnello wasn't finished shaking up the lineup after watching the Timbers fail to score in the first half. He inserted forward Drew McAthy into the lineup, moved Chisoni back to midfield and benched Alejandro Guiterrez. Later, he benched Byron Alvarez and inserted Bullen.

"We brought that sense of urgency. We looked in some of our prior matches like we didn't know if we really wanted it," Agnello said. "I was up doing a lot of screaming during the match . . . I think by getting in there and shouting at them throughout the match, that helped get some of them to wake up and go, 'OK, we do need to have a sense of urgency.' "

Agnello's move to insert Kreamalmeyer into the lineup looked good when the midfielder scored in the 51st minute. Taking a nifty pass from Bullen just inside the penalty box area, Kreamalmeyer wheeled and blasted a left-footed shot past Toronto goalkeeper Richard Goodard.

"(Bullen) laid the ball out in front of me and just stopped and let the defender go by," Kreamalmeyer said. "I turned and hit it and it went in."

The goal supplied the Timbers with a jolt of energy.

"It definitely boosted our confidence," Kreamalmeyer said. "Hopefully we can begin to turn our season around."

Bullen, a second-half substitute, supplied the Timbers with energetic play as soon as he stepped onto the turf. After setting up Kreamalmeyer's goal, the midfielder scored the Timbers' second goal. Bullen was set up by Chisoni's pass and hit a shot into the upper-right corner of the net in the 60th minute.

"I was just trying to get a shot off as quick as I could," Bullen said. "I didn't even know how to celebrate. I was just so happy."

Bullen also set up McAthy's shot that was stopped by Goddard, and nearly scored on a breakaway in the 72nd minute.

"Oral, in 15 minutes of play, got a goal and an assist," Agnello said. "We've gotta have that."

Streak over: The Lynx scored their first goal in five games on Osni Neto's unassisted goal from 25 yards during injury time. Agnello wasn't too upset about the defensive lapse, but the players were miffed. "We should never give up a goal like that," defender Scot Thompson said.

Losing blood: A header by Thompson reopened a gash over his right eye during the first half, requiring three stitches.

Geoffrey C. Arnold: 503-221-8556; geoffreyarnold@news.oregonian.com

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