The Timbers would control much of the early play, and would get the first good scoring chance of the night in the 9th minute when Shaun Higgins would make some space for himself outside the Battery box, but his blast from 20 yards out was right at Charleston goalkeeper Dusty Hudock and easily saved.

But Higgins would not miss on his next chance, when in the 15th minute, Chris Bagley made a nice run down the right side and set a low cross that Higgins ran onto and hit high into the upper right corner from eight yards out, and the Timbers had an early 1-0 lead.

The Battery would have their first good chance on the night in the 21st minute when off a free kick, Portland-native Ian Fuller would get his head on the ball at the top of the box, but his header was right at Portland keeper Chase Harrison and easily saved. On the counterattack, the Timbers nearly had a good chance when Cameron Dunn made a nice run down the left side into the Charleston box, but his last touch failed him and the Battery defense was able to shut him down.

The Timbers appeared ready to take a 2-0 lead in the 34th minute when Takayuki Suzuki made a run down the left side and his cross found Bagley on the six yard box, but his header, appeared headed just under the bar, was tipped over the bar by Hudock in a spectacular save.

But then, in the 39th minute, in a situation that has been inexplicably common this year, the Timbers were suddenly down a man when a straight red was issued to Dunn while the teams were jostling for position preparing for a Battery free kick. It was Fuller who dropped to the turf holding his neck as the card came out, though Fuller was not hurt and continued, but the Timbers would be forced to protect their lead shorthanded.

Portland’s Chris Brown would have a free kick right at Hudock from 25 yards out before the half ended that was easily saved, and the half would end with the Timbers holding a 1-0 lead.

Three minutes into the second half, many Timbers fans were likely having a flashback to a Miami game last year when Lawrence Olum headed in a game-winner late, as a nearly identical cross came from Miguel Guante, but this time Olum’s shot was just past the left post on what should have been an easy finish.

Then in the 57th minute, the Timbers had a great chance to widen the lead when Suzuki played a through ball into the run of Olum that had him in alone on Hudock, but the ball was just a bit far ahead of Olum and the Battery goalkeeper was able to charge out of his box and clear the ball out of bounds just before Olum could get a touch on it.

Two minutes later, the Timbers had another spectacular chance when Brown played a nice touch pass to Guante inside the box that had the Timbers midfielder wide open from eight yards out, but his shot was right at Hudock and saved. One minute later, the Timbers were threatening again as playing a man down had not slowed their offense down at all, and Suzuki had a nice run into the box but his pass across the goal mouth did not find any Timbers players and slipped out over the endline.

The Battery would show their first sign of offense in the second half in the 61st minute when Fuller chipped a pass to Lazo Alavanja that had him behind the Timbers defense inside the box, but his full volley attempt from a tight angle was easily saved by Harrison.

In the 64th minute, just after entering the match, Jamil Walker nearly doubled the Timbers lead when he stole the ball from a Battery defender only 40 yards out from goal, but his charge into the box was stopped by a retreating Nelson Akwari, who blocked the shot at the last minute and ended the threat.

After having been dominated by the Timbers for 70 minutes, quite against the run of play, the Battery would tie the match in the 73rd minute when Alavanja was left open 20 yards out, and he bent a shot perfectly into the upper right hand corner, and just like that, the match was level at 1-1.

The Timbers were now desperately pushing forward looking for the game-winner, as a draw did them no good in their press for the playoffs, and in the 79th minute, off a set play, a Justin Thompson header appeared headed in but unfortunately went off the back of Olum, and went wide to the left. One minute later, off a corner kick, the Timbers had another great chance when Guante’s header from near the penalty spot slipped a yard right.

In the 84th minute, a Charleston counterattack nearly gave them the lead when Darren Spicer had an open look from 15 yards out, but put it just over the bar.

Two minutes later, another great Timbers chance on a header was saved when Brown had a chance off an Olum cross, but was easily saved by Hudock. One minute later, an even better chance would go begging when Justin Thompson got on a Guante cross and had a hard headed shot from 12 yards out that was once again right at Hudock and easily saved.

But the Timbers let their guard down on the counterattack as Hudock’s punt bounced directly to Aaron King, who beat two Timbers defenders by trapping the ball back slightly and slipped the ball low past Harrison, and the Battery had turned one of their few good chances into a second goal, and taken a 2-1 lead.

Despite four minutes of stoppage time, the Timbers could not find an equalizer and would end up having to swallow a tough 2-1 loss when the dominated much of the match, in a way a reflection on how the entire 2008 season has gone, especially with having to play much of the match down a player.

Chase Harrison had three saves in the loss, while Dusty Hudock had seven saves for the Battery.