Hoek Leads Portland to 2-0 Win

Phoenix forward Sean Hoek scored two goals to steer Portland to a 2-0 win over Boston at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Hoek’s strikes came in the 39th and 53rd minutes while Terrance Dieterich denied the Victory’s lone shot on goal to earn his second shutout of the season.

“We are in the midseason,” Victory head coach Sergio Taborda said in a post-game release. “And these teams, they’re fighting for the top. So they come here with everything, and I thought the players’ attitude today was kind of, they give up.”

While Taborda discounted his player’s efforts, one man who was kept busy was Victory keeper Vinny Papageorgiou, who collected seven saves on the evening.

But there was little Papageorgiou could do when Blaike Woodruff sent a ball inside the box to Hoek, who buried it into the back of the net with halftime approaching.

Shortly after the second stanza commenced, Hoek added an insurance goal. Joel Thiessen fed it through to the Phoenix striker, who slotted it through put his club in command.

The Victory’s chances suffered a major blow in the 77th minute when former Revolution midfielder Andrew Sousa came off with a hamstring injury. According to the team, the injury will likely end Sousa’s season with five matches remaining.

“Sousa has potential to play a high level,” Taborda said. “And he needed to play until the end of the season to show what he can do. We feel for him.”

Boston’s best opportunity to pull one back came in late, when Hayk Kaya went around Dietrich and found an open net waiting. But the substitute striker’s shot clanked off the post, and kept the hosts off the board for the third straight game.

The Phoenix will have little time to savor the win as they return to action on Sunday against the Pioneers at Lusitano Stadium. Boston will hit road on Wednesday to face the Voltage in St. Albans.