PORTLAND, Ore.
– On a USL First Division-record 22-game unbeaten streak, the Portland Timbers play host to the Miami FC Blues Saturday at PGE Park live on FSN; kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m.
On Saturday, the first 2,000 kids 12 and under receive a Timbers replica jersey t-shirt courtesy of Fred Meyer. Tickets start at $11 and are available through the PGE Park box office, area Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.
The Timbers (13-1-9, 48pts) enter the final month of the regular season unbeaten in their last 22 matches and currently sit in first place with a three-point lead over the Charleston Battery. With a win or draw on Saturday, the Timbers can become the first team to secure one of seven playoff spots in the USL First Division.
Portland has won four straight matches, including back-to-back road victories last week over the Montreal Impact and Rochester Rhinos. Midfielder
Ryan Pore
has scored in each of the Timbers’ last five games, including two game-winning goals, to help extend the team’s streaks.
The Timbers and Blues (7-10-4, 25pts) finish their three-game season series on Saturday. Following a 1-1 draw between the two sides on July 17, the Timbers captured a 3-0 win over the Blues on July 19, during a two-game road trip in Miami. Portland’s win over Miami helped the club set the league record for the longest, single-season unbeaten streak. All-time, the Timbers are 4-3-2 against the Blues, including a 2-2-0 mark in Portland.
In addition to the telecast on FSN, Saturday’s match will also be broadcast live online at
www.portlandtimbers.com
, with a live video webcast available through USL Live at www.usllive.com. A Spanish-language broadcast will air on 910+1390 ESPN Deportes.
Including Saturday’s contest against the Blues, the Timbers play five of their final seven matches of the regular season at home, where they are 8-0-2 this season and have out-scored opponents, 20-3.
POST-GAME FIREWORKS SET FOR SEPT. 17
The Timbers have scheduled their 2009 post-game fireworks show for Fan Appreciation Night on Thursday, Sept. 17, at PGE Park. The fireworks display, originally planned for June 19, will take place following the Jersey-Off-Our-Back auction presentations immediately after the match against the Cleveland City Stars; kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m.
ABOUT MIAMI FC BLUES
Including Saturday’s contest against the Timbers, the Blues face a stretch of four road games in seven days. Miami FC has lost three of its last four matches, and has conceded 10 goals over that span. The Blues fell victim to the Minnesota Thunder 1-0 at home in their last match on Aug. 14. They travel to north to play the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday.
