Keg Cup Kicks Off as Ballard Edges Portland 1-0
Seattle, WA — The Portland Bangers made the trip north to Seattle to face off against the top-ranked side in the Northwest Division, Ballard FC, in the inaugural edition of what was dubbed the Keg Cup—a newly minted rivalry between the Seattle squad and Portland.The Bangers entered the match coming off a demanding stretch, having played back-to-back games the previous weekend. Ballard, on the other hand, had picked up right where it left off last season, beginning the 2025 campaign with four straight victories and securing a No. 2 national ranking in the process.
With the sun glistening in his eyes, Portland goalkeeper Norris was called into action early. In just the fourth minute, a well-orchestrated Ballard attack resulted in a strike from the top of the 18-yard box. Norris shifted sharply to his right and punched the ball out for a corner kick.
The pressure continued to build. In the 23rd minute, Ballard midfielder Joe Dale launched an audacious effort from nearly 40 yards, catching Portland on the back foot. But Norris leapt to meet the challenge, parrying the shot down and preventing what could have been a goal-of-the-season contender.
Ballard’s attack remained relentless. A clever pass inside the six-yard box found a Ballard forward in a one-on-one situation with only Norris to beat. With a sprawling lunge, the Portland keeper made his third highlight-reel save of the match to keep the score level.
Despite Norris’ heroics, Ballard finally broke through in the 35th minute. Richie Aman sent a driven low cross into the box, and Elliot Spatz calmly slotted it home to give the home side a deserved lead. Tensions rose as the half progressed, culminating in a yellow card for Portland’s Kolade Salaudeen in the 40th minute as the game’s physicality began to escalate. At halftime, the storyline was clear: Norris had kept Portland within striking distance, while Ballard dominated possession and created the lion’s share of chances.
In the second half, Portland was again forced to absorb pressure as Ballard converted a broken play into a dangerous three-on-two break. A low ball from the endline was dummied by a freshly substituted striker and fell to the feet of an unmarked winger, who fired low toward the bottom right corner. Norris, showing remarkable agility for his 6’6” frame, dove swiftly to his right to keep the Bangers in the match.
In the end, Ballard FC emerged with a hard-fought 1-0 victory, their dominance reflected in the shot count but not in the scoreline. Portland, though outpaced in possession and pinned deep for long stretches, displayed remarkable resilience. The Bangers’ defensive unit, held together by the commanding presence of Norris between the posts, weathered a relentless attacking storm. Time and again, Norris denied Ballard a second goal, turning away shots that seemed destined for the net and anchoring a backline that refused to fold. Though the equalizer never came, the result is a good indicator of the Keg Cup matches in the upcoming years.
Match Timeline: Ballard FC 1 – 0 Portland Bangers
First Half
38’ – 🟨 Yellow Card: Kolade Salaudeen (Portland Bangers)
Second Half
45’ – 🔁 Substitution: Christian Mendozoa-Soto enters for Portland
60’ – 🔁 Substitution: Evan Huber enters for Portland
60’ – 🔁 Substitution: Vala Saghafi enters for Portland
83’ – 🔁 Substitution: Volodymyr Kubrakov enters for Portland
83’ – 🔁 Substitution: Andrew Lovell enters for Portland
Starting XI – Portland Bangers
GK: Norris
Defenders: Villanueva, Dunne, McClellan, Klein
Midfielders: Jeppe, Salaudeen, Lopez
Forwards: Igarta, Baures, Fisher
Substitutes Used: Mendozoa-Soto (45’), Huber (60’), Saghafi (60’), Kubrakov (83’), Lovell (83’)
Unused Subs: Sundby, Glock
What’s Next?
📍 Upcoming Match:
Portland Bangers vs. Bigfoot FC
📅 Sunday, June 8th
🕑 2:00 PM (PST)
📍 Tahoma High School – Maple Valley, WA
