A Carlos Harvey hat trick helped secure three points for MNUFC2 against Timbers2 at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon, ultimately resulting in a thrilling 4-3 victory on the road.
Sunday afternoon’s match action started quickly when MNUFC2 winger Loïc Mesanvi successfully rushed towards goal in the first minute after winning possession on the early press. Mesanvi set up to make a shot, but lost his footing atop the goalkeeper’s box.
Following a possession-heavy and high-press first 10 minutes of the match, Minnesota United forward Patrick Weah broke the silence and scored the first goal of the match. Weah earned possession inside the Portland 18-yard box, making a quick turn around the Timbers2 defender and sneaking the ball past the keeper on the far end. The goal was Weah’s first of 2024.
Nearly 12 minutes later, though, the home side found the equalizer when Keesean Ferdinand sent a long pass down the field, eventually landing at the feet of and connecting with forward Mataeo Bunbury. MNUFC2 goalkeeper Alec Smir went off his line to make an attempt at stopping the run, but Bunbury dribbled around him and his shot found the back of the net.
Timbers2 then took the lead just six minutes after their first goal. It was again Bunbury on the scoresheet after he curled a shot from outside the keepers’ box. That shot deflected off the back of Minnesota United defender Morris Duggan, eventually finding the back of the net outside of Smir’s reach.
After the break, scoring belonged solely to MNUFC2 in the second half.
Minnesota United and Panamanian international midfielder Carlos Harvey was in the right place at the right time, recovering a lost possession right atop Timbers2’s box before quickly turning and scoring a stunner at the near post. That goal became MNUFC2’s 100th goal across all competitions since 2022 – the club’s inaugural season.
Only a few minutes off the re-start, Mesanvi made a run at the Portland goal and was downed inside the box, earning the Twos a penalty kick. Harvey stepped-up to take the shot and converted the penalty, giving MNUFC2 the 3-2 lead.
Yet again, the Twos drew a foul in the box and earned a penalty kick. This time, MNUFC Academy forward Julian Banks was fouled in the center of the box, and while play was still ongoing, Mesanvi took a shot off the loose ball, which went wide. Banks’ foul was awarded the penalty, and Harvey converted to give him a hat trick on the day.
At the end of the match in added stoppage time, Timbers2 scored to shrink the deficit back to one goal, but time ran out and MNUFC2 secured its first MLS NEXT Pro win of 2024.
MNUFC2 next will travel to face Sporting Kansas City II on Sunday, April 28 at 4:00 p.m. CT. The match, played at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas, will be streamed live on MLSNEXTPro.com.
GOALS
1-0 MNUFC2 – Patrick Weah, assisted by Molik Jesse Khan (12’)
1-1 Timbers2 – Mataeo Bunbury, assisted by Keesean Ferdinand (23’)
1-2 Timbers2 – Mataeo Bunbury, assisted by Noah Santos (29’)
2-2 MNUFC2 – Carlos Harvey, unassisted (63’)
3-2 MNUFC2 – Carlos Harvey, PK (66’)
4-2 MNUFC2 – Carlos Harvey, PK (82’)
4-3 Timbers2 – Kyle Linhares, assisted by Jaden Jones-Riley (90’+2’)
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Caution, MNUFC2 – Patrick Weah (7’)
Caution, Timbers2 – Alexis Moreno (45’+1’)
Caution, MNUFC2 – Kage Romanshyn Jr. (67’)
Caution, Timbers2 – Keesean Ferdinand (75’)
Caution, Timbers2 – Carver Miller (82’)
Caution, Timbers2 – Tyler Clegg (89’)
Caution, MNUFC2 – Derek Dodson (90’+1’)
NOTABLE STATS
100 – Carlos Harvey scored MNUFC2’s 100th goal across all competitions (MLS NEXT Pro & U.S. Open Cup).
4 – Harvey is now the fourth player to score a hat trick in a single-match for MNUFC2 since the 2022 season, and the second to score three goals in a single game in 2024 (Jordan Adebayo-Smith scored a hat trick on March 20 against Chicago House A.C. in U.S. Open Cup First Round).
TEAM LEADERS (Updated through April 21)
Goals – Carlos Harvey (3)
Assists – Molik Jesse Khan (2)
Saves – Alec Smir (15)
Wins – Alec Smir (1)
Shutouts – N/A
