PORTLAND, Ore.
– The Portland Timbers embark on a two-game road trip to face the Montreal Impact on Wednesday at 4:45 p.m. (Pacific) and the Rochester Rhinos on Saturday at 4:35 p.m. (Pacific). It’s the team’s final multiple-game road trip of the season.
Saturday’s match in Rochester will air live on 95.5 The Game with broadcaster Andy McNamara calling the action. Both matches will be broadcast live online at
www.portlandtimbers.com
, with a live video webcast available through USL Live at www.usllive.com.
The Timbers (11-1-9, 42pts) enter the week in a two-way tie for first place in the USL First Division with the Carolina RailHawks. The top four teams in the standings are separated by only four points. The Charleston Battery, who sit just one point behind both Portland and Carolina in third place, faces the Cleveland City Stars on Tuesday.
With wins last week against the Vancouver Whitecaps and Charleston at PGE Park, the Timbers extended their USL First Division record unbeaten streak to 20 games. Portland has scored a league-high 32 goals and has allowed a league-low 11 goals through 21 matches in 2009.
Portland and Montreal (7-8-5, 26pts) meet for the third time this season on Wednesday. The Timbers are 2-0-0 against the Impact in 2009, including a 4-0 shutout win on June 28 at PGE Park. Portland has out-scored Montreal 5-0 over the two previous meetings this season. Since 2001, the Timbers are 7-3-2 against the Impact and have a record of 3-1-1 in Montreal.
The Timbers and Rhinos (9-7-5, 32pts) square off for the second time this season Saturday. Portland captured a 2-1 win over Rochester on May 14, using a strike by midfielder
Brian Farber
and a 90th minute penalty-kick goal from midfielder
Ryan Pore
to lock up the victory. The Timbers are 2-8-2 all-time against the Rhinos and remain winless (0-5-1) in Rochester. The two sides finish their season series Sept. 3 at PGE Park.
The team’s two fixtures this week end a stretch of five games in 15 days to start the month of August.
ABOUT MONTREAL IMPACT
With a 1-0 win against the Minnesota Thunder over the weekend, the Impact moved into sixth place in the USL First Division and back into the running for one of seven playoff positions. Montreal is on a four-game unbeaten streak and has lost just once in its last six matches. The club recently signed former Seattle Sounders midfielder Leighton O’Brien, who could be eligible for Wednesday’s game against Portland.
ABOUT ROCHESTER RHINOS
The Rhinos broke a two-game losing streak with a 1-0 win over the Austin Aztex in their last match on Aug. 8. Starting on July 5, Rochester is in the middle of a 10-game homestand against USL First Division opponents and won’t face a road fixture until the end of the month. The Rhinos are currently in fifth place at 32 points.
