PORTLAND, Ore.
– The Portland Timbers continue their stretch of road matches Saturday as they face the expansion Austin Aztex at Nelson Field in Austin, Texas, at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific). Saturday’s tilt will be first-ever meeting between the two sides.
Saturday’s match will be broadcast live on 95.5 The Game with broadcasters
Andy McNamara
and
John Strong
calling the action. A live broadcast will also be available online at
www.portlandtimbers.com
, with a live video webcast available through USL Live at www.usllive.com.
Portland pushed its unbeaten streak in league play to 13 games last weekend with a 1-1 draw against the Minnesota Thunder on the road. The Timbers’ unbeaten run matches the second longest unbeaten streak in the USL First Division since 1998; the mark was achieved previously by the Rochester Rhinos in 1998 and Richmond Kickers in 2000.
The Timbers (7-1-6, 27pts) sit in third place in the USL First Division standings and just three points back of the first-place Charleston Battery. Led by forward
Mandjou Keita’s
six goals, the Timbers offense ranks second in the league in scoring with 21 goals. Keita is tied for the league lead in goals scored this season.
Saturday is the first of three regular-season matches between the Timbers and Aztex this season. Since 2007, the Timbers are 6-0-2 against expansion clubs in their inaugural campaign, including a 0-0 draw earlier this season against the Cleveland City Stars. Saturday will mark Portland’s first regular-season match in Texas since 2003 against the El Paso Patriots.
ABOUT AUSTIN AZTEX
The Aztex (3-7-6, 15pts) are one of two expansion sides, along with Cleveland, in the USL First Division this season. Austin, which started its inaugural season on a four-game unbeaten streak, currently ranks eighth in the league. The Aztex were handed a 4-1 loss at Rochester in their previous game on July 5. They feature two former Timbers in goalkeeper
Sam Reynolds
(2005) and defender
Mike Chabala
(2006).
