On a league-record 22-game unbeaten streak, the Timbers play host to the Miami FC Blues tonight at PGE Park live on FSN. Click here to listen to tonight's match or watch it through USL Live. Track live updates on Twitter. The first 2,000 kids 12 and under receive a Timbers jersey replica t-shirt courtesy of Fred Meyer.
Click here for tonight's match notes.
Tonight's Starters:
POR: GK Cronin, D Hayes, D Keel, D Thompson, D Danso, M McManus, M Nimo, M Savage, M Pore, F Keita, F Josten
MIA: GK Schoeni, D Williams, D Agbossoumoude, D Tsiskaridze, D Ramirez, M Faife, M Goldberg, M Pizarro, M Torres, F Marcina, F Bowen
Match Preview:
On a 22-game unbeaten streak, the Portland Timbers take on the Miami FC Blues tonight at PGE Park as the two sides close their 2009 season series. Tonight’s contest is Miami’s only visit to the Rose City during the regular season.
With a win or a draw tonight against the Blues, the Timbers can become the first team in the league to secure one of seven postseason spots.
Portland captured back-to-back road wins over the Montreal Impact (1-0) and Rochester Rhinos (4-1) last week to extend its winning streak to four games. During the road trip, midfielder Ryan Pore scored two goals and one assist, including the game-winning tally against the Impact. Pore has scored a goal in each of the Timbers last five matches and has quickly joined the league’s leaders in both goals and scoring.
Four consecutive victories have helped the Timbers maintain their position at the top of the USL First Division with 48 points – three points ahead of second-place Charleston Battery. Only seven points separate the top four teams in the league.
Following last week’s six-point road trip, three members of the Timbers – forward Mandjou Keita, midfielder Ryan Pore and defender David Hayes – were named to the USL First Division Team of the Week for Week 19. It was Pore’s third selection of the season, while both Keita and Hayes were nominated for a fourth time.
The Timbers are 1-0-1 against the Blues (7-10-4, 25pts) this season. In their first meeting of the season, the Timbers used a free-kick goal by defender David Hayes to earn a 1-1 draw on July 17. Portland followed the draw with a 3-0 win on July 19, to close out a two-game road trip to Miami and set the USL First Division record for the longest, single-season unbeaten streak. All-time the Timbers are 4-3-2 against the Blues, including a 2-2-0 record at PGE Park. In their last meeting at PGE Park on Sept. 4, 2008, Portland shut out Miami 4-0, including a strike from defender Cameron Dunn.
Portland is 8-0-2 at PGE Park this season in league play and is the only club remaining in the USL First Division with an unbeaten mark at home. The Timbers have allowed just three goals at home this season, while scoring 20.
Midfielder Johan Claesson remains unavailable for tonight’s match; he re-injured his head against the Charleston Battery on Aug. 8 at PGE Park. He returned to the training field this week. After taking a knock against Rochester, Dunn is also unavailable for tonight’s match due to injury.
Following tonight’s match, the Timbers head east for another top-of-the-table clash with the Charleston Battery on Friday, Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. (Pacific). It will be the final regular-season meeting this season between the two clubs.
