The Timbers very nearly had an early goal from Alan Gordon for the second week in a row, when in the 4th minute, the Timbers striker got loose in the box and hit a shot from 10 yards out that hit off the top of the crossbar before going over the goal. Seven minutes later, the Mustangs had their first good chance when Mesut Mert hit a shot from 25 yards out that went a foot high and wide, but Timbers goalkeeper Josh Saunders had the shot covered.

In the 14th minute, Timbers forward Byron Alvarez had an open run into the box, but his attempt to chip a pass into the run of Gordon was a few yards too far in front. Two minutes later, the visitors had another good chance when Damir Jesic had a good look as he was momentarily behind the Timbers defenders making a run down the right side, but hit shot aimed for the near post instead went several yards wide to the right.

In the 19th minute, the Timbers had another good scoring opportunity when Alex Bengard hit a hard full volley shot from near the top of the box that forced a diving save to the left by Calgary goalkeeper Lutz Pfannenstiel. Two minutes later, the Timbers were knocking on the door again when a Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar shot from 18 yards was deflected by a Calgary defender, and Alvarez had a chance to get a header on it, but it was right at the Calgary keeper and easily saved.

In the 25th minute, the Timbers finally got on the board when an Alcaraz-Cuellar cross found the head of Alvarez, who was parked on the edge of the six-yard box, and his header was perfectly placed just inside the left post, and the Timbers had a 1-0 lead.

Six minutes later, Gordon had another good opportunity as he was in alone against the Calgary keeper, but a reaction save by Pfannenstiel knocked the shot wide. Two minutes later, Bengard had another chance for the Timbers, but his shot from 20 yards was just wide right.

Then in the 42nd minute, Calgary's Conrad Smith charged into the Portland box, against several Timbers defenders, but he slipped around the Timbers defense, as well as Saunders, and tapped in a shot that was nearly kept out by the defense, but they didn't get to the shot soon enough and it crossed the line to even the score at 1-1.

Portland's Alvarez nearly put the Timbers back up a minute later as he chipped a tough angle shot over the Calgary keeper that was barely a yard wide, and the half ended with the teams tied at 1-1.

It was only five minutes into the second half before the Timbers had their lead back. After a nice give-and-go between Scott Benedetti and Bengard, Benedetti tapped the ball back to Bengard, who was wide open in the box and had plenty of time to turn and blast the ball into the far side of the net, and the Timbers were up 2-1.

Twelve minutes later, the Timbers had a chance to widen the lead when Alvarez was a step ahead of his defender as he entered the box, but his shot from the top of the box was just wide left. In the 68th minute, the Mustangs had perhaps their best opportunity to tie the score when after a corner kick, the ball came out to Frederik Janssens, who hit a hard shot towards the right post from 22 yards out that was stopped by a diving save by Saunders.

In the 81st minute, a Calgary free kick ended up causing some nervous moments for the Timbers when the ball was loose inside the box, but Shawn Saunders was able to clear the ball out of the Timbers box. Two minutes later, the Timbers had their best opportunity for a third goal when Alvarez had a one-on-one breakaway with the Calgary keeper, but a nice reaction save stopped the slow shot.

In the 88th minute, the Timbers had to clear another dangerous free ball out of the box, then in the 89th minute, there were some nervous moments for both teams when there were players for both teams going down near the top of the Timbers box, and some pushing and shoving, but neither team earned a free kick out of the fray, and after four minutes of stoppage time, the Timbers had held on for a 2-1 win, their second straight to start the 2003 season.