TACOMA, WASH. – Tacoma Defiance (5-2-3, 20 points) defeated Timbers2 (0-2-2, 4 points) 3-0 Tuesday evening in its first match of the season at Cheney Stadium. Cody Baker scored his first professional goal, while Marlon Vargas and Abdoulaye Cissoko each added strikes as Tacoma continues to move up the Western Conference standings, with the club currently riding a six-match unbeaten streak (4-0-2).
Baker bagged his goal in the 29th minute after Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez streaked down the left flank, centering a pass at the bottom of the area that Baker smashed home to give the home side the lead. After a Timbers2 player committed a handball in the area, Vargas converted the ensuing penalty to make it 2-0 in the 33rd minute. Cissoko added the final strike of the match in the 55th minute off a corner, getting his head to the ball played in by Danny Leyva to put Tacoma up three. Defiance goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley recorded a shutout in his second start of the season. Continue reading ” MATCH RECAP: TACOMA DEFIANCE DEFEATS TIMBERS2 3-0 AT CHENEY STADIUM”


MLS giants Seattle Sounders qualified for the semifinals after seeing off Mexican team Club Leon in the quarterfinals. Seattle Sounders produced a disciplined display to secure a 1-1 draw and advance to the last four of the Concacaf Champions League thanks to a 4-1 aggregate victory. Sounders had already done the bulk of the job in the first leg when they secured a 3-0 win. They would be hoping for a repeat against New York City FC with the first leg in Sounders on April 5, while the return leg is in New York on April 12. 