The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps square off in a Cascadia Cup match up tonight on Alumni Night at PGE Park; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Listen to tonight's game on 95.5 The Game or view through USL Live. Updates via Twitter.
Click here for tonight's match notes.
Tonight's Starters:
POR: GK Cronin, D Knowles, D Hayes, D Keel, D Nishimura, M Farber, M Claesson, M McManus, M Suzuki, F Keita, F Pore
VAN: GK Nolly, D Knight, D Reda, D Pozniak, D Trafford, M Davies, M Chin, M Nash, M Burgess, F Haber, F James
Match Preview:
The Portland Timbers play host to the Vancouver Whitecaps tonight at PGE Park in the third and final game of the their regular-season series. Tonight's contest will also determine the winner of the 2009 Cascadia Cup.
Following the Carolina RailHawks' 1-0 win over the Rochester Rhinos Wednesday night, the Timbers enter tonight contest in third place in the USL First Division and trail the RailHawks - now in first place - by just three points. Between Portland and Carolina in the standings is the Charleston Battery in second. The Timbers host the Battery on Saturday.
The Timbers are on a USL First Division record 18-game unbeaten streak. Portland logged a 1-1 draw against the Minnesota Thunder in its last match on Aug. 1 to extend its streak. Midfielder Ryan Pore scored his first goal since May 30, to give the Timbers the lead in the second half. For his efforts against the Thunder, Pore was named to the USL First Division Team of the Week for Week 17; it was his second Team of the Week selection this season.
At home this season, the Timbers are unbeaten with a record of 6-0-2, and have posted six shutouts. The Timbers have out-scored their opponents 16-2 at PGE Park.
Portland and Vancouver meet for the third time this season and second time at PGE Park. In their previous match up in Portland, the Timbers shutout the Whitecaps 2-0 on May 30. Forward George Josten logged a goal and an assist in the win, which was Portland's first victory over Vancouver since Sept. 16, 2007. The Whitecaps are the only team to defeat the Timbers this season, recording a 1-0 win on April 25 in Vancouver; it was Portland's first game of the 2009 regular-season. Since 2001, the Timbers are 8-18-8 against the Whitecaps, with a 7-4-6 mark at PGE Park.
Tonight's match will decide who takes home the 2009 Cascadia Cup - a fan-based derby between the Northwest clubs. The Cascadia Cup is awarded to the team with the best head-to-head record; the Timbers and Whitecaps have split their two previous matches this season. With a win or a scoreless draw, the Timbers can capture their first Cascadia Cup. Vancouver needs a win or a score draw to take home their fourth Cascadia Cup.
The Timbers will be without forward Jason McLaughlin for tonight's match, due to a one-game, league-imposed suspension for his red card ejection against the Thunder last weekend. Midfielder Tony McManus will be available for tonight's match after missing the match against Minnesota due to one-game, league-imposed suspension for yellow card accumulation.
The Timbers face the Battery on Saturday at PGE Park. Its Charleston’s only scheduled visit to the Rose City this season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
