The Timbers play host to the Rochester Rhinos tonight at PGE Park at 8 p.m. Tonight's match will be televised as Fox Soccer Channel's USL First Division Game of the Week. Click here for a live broadcast or catch live updates through Twitter.
Click here to view tonight's match notes.
Starting lineups:
POR: GK Cronin, D Hayes, D Keel, D Knowles, D Thompson, M Pore, M McManus, M Claesson, M Farber, F Keita, F McLaughlin
ROC: GK Vallow, D Ball, D Bertz, D Sancho, D Earls, M Nurse, M Short, M Fitzpatrick, F Gregor, F Menyongar, F Ambersley
Match Preview:
The Timbers face the Rochester Rhinos tonight in the first of three scheduled regular-season meetings in 2009. Portland enters tonight's match with a string of three consecutive shutouts and could match the modern-franchise record with another clean sheet tonight at PGE Park. The team's record of four consecutive shutouts was set back in 2007.
Since allowing a goal by Martin Nash in the team's season opener on April 25, the Timbers backline has logged 297 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal. Nash's second-half strike is the only goal Portland has conceded so far this season. The Timbers modern-franchise record for consecutive minutes played without allowing a goal is 381, set on July 15, 2007, with a 4-1 win over the California Victory at PGE Park.
The Timbers earned a point on the road and settled for a scoreless draw against the Cleveland City Stars on May 9, despite attempting 24 shots throughout the night. Midfielders Ryan Pore and Johan Claesson, and forward Mandjou Keita combined to take 11 of the team's 24 shots. The Timbers took 18 shots in the second half against Cleveland, the most shots taken by a Timbers squad in any half since joining the USL First Division in 2001. With the draw, the Timbers are now unbeaten in their last three matches.
Portland is 1-8-2 all-time against Rochester, including a 1-3-1 mark at home. The Timbers' lone victory over Rochester in their all-time series came on May 13, 2007, with a 2-0 win at PGE Park. Former midfielder Andrew Gregor, who now plays for the Rhinos, had a three-point performance (1g,1a) and defender Leonard Griffin delivered a goal from 32 yards out to lead the Timbers. Last season, the Timbers were 0-2-1 against Rochester, including a 0-0 draw at PGE Park on May 8th.
Tonight's match could mark the 120th regular-season game as a member of the Timbers for defender Scot Thompson. He reached 119 appearances with the club in Cleveland last weekend. Already ranked among modern-franchise leaders in games played, Thompson is closing in on current Timbers head coach Gavin Wilkinson, who currently ranks fourth among modern-franchise career leaders with 124 games played for Portland.
Following tonight's match, the Timbers hit the road for a two-game road trip to Puerto Rico. The Timbers and Islanders square off on Friday, May 22 at 5 p.m. (Pacific), and then meet a second time on Sunday, May 24 at 4 p.m. (Pacific). That trip will mark the Timbers only visit to Puerto Rico this season; the two sides finish the regular-season series July 23 in Portland.
