PORTLAND, Ore.
– The Portland Timbers play host to two premier matches this week at PGE Park, starting Thursday against the Puerto Rico Islanders at 7 p.m. followed by an international exhibition match against the English Premier League’s Burnley FC on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Thursday’s game against Puerto Rico features a matchup for first place in the USL First Division; both the Timbers and Islanders are tied at the top of the table with 34 points. Tickets start at $11 and are available through the PGE Park box office, area Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.
On Saturday, the Timbers face English Premier League (EPL) side Burnley in an international exhibition at PGE Park, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino. Burnley visits the Rose City while on a week-long preseason tour in the United States. Burnley, who was promoted to the EPL following the 2008-09 season, is preparing for their upcoming season against some of the top clubs in the world, including Manchester United and Chelsea.
Tickets for Saturday’s exhibition start at $17 and are available through the PGE Park box office, local Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.
The Timbers (9-1-7, 34pts) are on a USL First Division record 16-game unbeaten streak and have won four of their last six league matches. Portland is unbeaten at home this season (6-0-1), and has out-scored opponents 16-2 at PGE Park.
Portland concludes its three-game season series against the Islanders on Thursday. Earlier this season, the Timbers recorded a win and draw against the Islanders while on a two-game road trip in Puerto Rico. The Timbers are 6-4-2 all-time against Puerto Rico, including a 5-1-0 mark in Portland. Thursday’s match will be televised live on FSN. A live broadcast will air on 95.5 The Game and online at
www.portlandtimbers.com
, with a live video webcast through USL Live at www.usllive.com.
Burnley finishes its preseason trip to the West Coast against the Timbers on Saturday. Led by manager
Owen Coyle
, Burnley features nearly a dozen national team members from around the world, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, Albania, Iceland, Jamaica, Peru and Canada. Burnley’s roster for the 2009-10 EPL season is highlighted by last season’s leading scorer
Martin Paterson
, former Manchester United midfielder
Chris Eagle
and the recent signings of Jamaican defender
Tyrone Mears
and Scotland National Team striker
Steve Fletcher
.
The Premier League is the top-tier league of England’s soccer system and features the country’s top 20 clubs, including several world-famous teams – Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. It operates on a promotion-regulation system with The Football League and its regular-season consists of 38 games from August to May. Burnley begins its 2009-10 season against Stoke City on Aug. 15.
Burnley is the second English Premier League club the modern-era Timbers have faced, hosting Sunderland AFC in 2005. The Timbers are 8-2-1 against international opponents since 2005, including exhibition wins over Mexico’s Club America reserves and Germany’s Bayern Munich II this season.
Portland midfielders
Johan Claesson
and
Ryan Pore
are listed as questionable for the Timbers’ two games this week after sustaining minor head injuries last weekend in games against the Miami FC Blues.
