Cleveland City Stars are the Professional United Soccer Leagues

Thursday September 17, 2009

PORTLAND, Oregon - The City Stars fell behind early to the first place Portland Timbers and were unable to climb back into the match in Thursday's 2-1 defeat. Ryan Stewart scored his second goal of the season for Cleveland (4-18-7). George Josten, who played one match for the City Stars in 2008 while on loan from the Columbus Crew, scored both goals for the Timbers (16-4-10).

The Timbers looked to put the City Stars under pressure from the opening whistle, and finished the match with a 19-15 advantage in shots. Josten opened the scoring with the first shot of the night.

In the sixth minute, Johan Claesson chested down a pass 30 yards out with his back to the goal, and fed Josten a pass up the middle of the park. As the ball bounced towards the box, Cleveland goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap left his line to challenge the play. Josten got to the ball first and chipped a high arching shot over the goalkeeper and it bounced into an open net to give the Timbers the lead.

Josten struck again in the second half, finishing a low shot from near the penalty spot. From the far right edge of the box, Manjou Keita slipped a pass through traffic into Josten with his back to goal. Josten quickly turned and fired a low shot inside the left post past the outstretched arms of Gilstrap to double the Timbers lead 2-0 in the 55th minute.

Cleveland pulled one back in the 63rd minute. Off a broken play, Stewart collected the ball 30 yards out along the left post. With time and space, he fired off a shot that bounced its way past Steve Cronin and inside the right post.

The City Stars were unable to find any chances in the late stages of the match. Cleveland travels overnight to Vancouver, BC, Canada to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps in the season finale Friday at 11 p.m. Friday's match is a nationally televised Fox Soccer Channel broadcast.

Lineups:

Cleveland: GK Gilstrap, D Troy Roberts, D Anthony Stovall, D Warren Kanu, D Paul Ballard, M Alioune Gueye (Gordon Kljestan 80'), M Ryan Stewart, M Arsene Oka (Pato Aguilera 45'), M Jason Hotchkin (Leo Gibson 62'), F Teteh Bangura (Ricardo Pierre-Louis 72'), F Kolby LaCrone

Portland: GK Steve Cronin, D David Hayes, D Stephen Keel, D Scot Thompson, D Takuro Nashimura (Kevin Forrest 72'), M Brian Farber (Rodrigo Lopez 84'), M Johan Claesson (Tom Poltl 56'), M Tony McManus (Keith Savage 56'), M Taka Susuki, F Manjou Keita, F George Josten (Josh Cameron 89')

Summary:

Cle: Ryan Stewart 63'

Por: George Josten (Johan Claesson) 6', Josten (Manjou Keita) 55'

Cautions:

Cle: Gordon Kljestan 81', Kolby LaCrone 85'

Por: Stephen Keel 68'

Attendance: 12,567