The Timbers put their 14-game unbeaten streak on the line as the open a two-game road trip tonight against the Miami FC Blues at 5 p.m. (Pacific). Listen to a live broadcast at portlandtimbers.com or watch the game through USL Live.
Click here for tonight's match notes.
Tonight's starters:
POR: GK Cronin, D Hayes, D Keel, D Knowles, D Thompson, M Pore, M Claesson, M McManus, M Farber, F Keita, F Josten
MIA:
Match preview:
The Portland Timbers begin the second half of their 2009 campaign on the road against the Miami FC Blues. The Timbers enter the weekend on a 14-game unbeaten streak and are in position to match the USL First Division's record for the longest, single-season unbeaten streak at 15 games.
Portland (8-1-6, 30pts) received late, game-winning goal by midfielder
Johan Claesson
on July 11 against the Austin Aztex to extend the club's unbeaten streak to 14 matches - now the league's second-longest, unbeaten streak. The Montreal Impact owns the league's longest, single-season unbeaten streak at 15 matches.
The Timbers enter the weekend in a two-way to for second place and sit just one point behind the first-place Puerto Rico Islanders, but have four games in hand. Portland shares its position on the table with the Charleston Battery, who face the City Stars in Cleveland Friday.
Forward
Mandjou Keita
has recorded a goal or an assist over his last seven games, including the go-ahead goal against the Aztex last weekend. Keita is the league's leading scorer with 16 points and also paces the USL First Division with seven goals. As a team, the Timbers, along with the Puerto Rico Islanders, lead the league in total goals scored with 23.
At the half way point in the 2009 season, the Timbers have allowed just eight goals this season, second fewest in the USL First Division, and are on pace to beat the club's modern-franchise record for fewest goals allowed in a single season (18) set back in 2007.
The Timbers are 3-3-1 all-time against the Miami FC Blues. Last season, Portland and Miami split the season series, 1-1-1, including a scoreless draw in Miami. Portland recorded its only win in Miami on Aug. 25, 2007, receiving a game-winning strike from defender
Scot Thompson
in the 74th minute. The 2009 season marks the first time the Timbers have played twice in Miami in a single season. The two sides complete their regular-season series on Aug. 22 in the Rose City.
Portland and Miami finish their two-game, weekend series on Sunday at 3 p.m. (Pacific). The Timbers then return home to face the Puerto Rico Islanders on Thursday, July 23 at PGE Park.
