Sounders rally past Portland in U.S. Open Cup

TUKWILA — After a poor effort in their last outing, the Seattle Sounders made sure they didn't come out flat in the second round of the 94th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Sounders defender Jacob Besagno, who entered for the injured Leighton O'Brien at the start of the second half, buried a header in the 70th minute as the Sounders downed the Portland Timbers 2-1 on Tuesday night before 711 fans at Starfire Sports & Entertainment Complex.

The Sounders (7-6-4 overall) host Chivas USA of Major League Soccer in the third round of the Open Cup, tentatively set for July 18 at Qwest Field, pending approval from U.S. Soccer. The win means a big payday for the club.

Besagno, recently demoted, put the ball into the right corner after a looping cross on the left side from Greg Howes for a 2-1 Sounders' lead. With a man advantage over the final 54-plus minutes, the Sounders dug in defensively in the physical confrontation after Besgano's tally.

"I was pretty fired up after scoring," said Besagno, who went to Seattle University. "It's been a rough season for me, being in and out of the lineup. I wanted to try and get a goal.

"I wanted to make my mark. I had things kind of bottled up, so I let loose."

The Timbers (6-3-3) went in front 1-0 in the 19th minute when Justin Thompson headed a shot just inside the right post on a free-kick cross from former Sounder Andrew Gregor.

Seattle had a great chance to knot the score at 1-1 but Portland goalkeeper Josh Wicks took the ball away from the Sounders' Sebastien Le Toux, who had a breakaway after a long pass from O'Brien. Wicks dislodged the ball from Le Toux's possession with a sliding tackle near the top of the penalty area.

The Sounders did tie the match at 1-1 when former Timber Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar buried a penalty kick in the 42nd minute. The goal was set up when Cameron Knowles was issued a red card for an elbow to the face of Seattle's Roger Levesque in the penalty area.

"The ref saw something I didn't see," Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. "With them a man down and the score 1-1, we had an advantage. The whole game changes and we start to play better."

The match also had seven yellow cards. O'Brien played the final nine minutes before intermission with a headband of tape to protect a gash on the back of his head. He did not return after it was determined he suffered a concussion and was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way.

Enter Besagno.

"The kid always finds a way to make an impact," Schmetzer said. "I pulled him out of the lineup because he was not playing well. But Jake's a great kid."