The Timbers take on the NSC Minnesota Stars tonight on a Miller Lite Thursday at PGE Park at 7 p.m. live on FSN. Listen to tonight's match on 95.5 The Game or watch a video webcast online. Follow in-game updates on Twitter.
Tonight's match notes will be available soon.
Tonight's Starters:
POR:
MIN:
Match Preview:
The Portland Timbers welcome the new NSC Minnesota Stars to PGE Park for the first time in 2010. Tonight’s match is the first of four regular-season meetings between the two clubs this season.
In the middle of a stretch of three games in five days, the Timbers got back on the winning track with a 3-0 win over the Sonoma County Sol Tuesday at PGE Park in the first round of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Portland has recorded two victories in its last five matches, but both of those have come outside of league play. The Timbers are looking for their first win in USSF Division-2 Pro League action since April 29.
The Timbers (3-4-4, 13pts) sit just one point behind the Stars (4-7-2, 14pts) in fifth place in the USL Conference. The Austin Aztex sit in first place in the conference, and pace the league, with 24 points.
The Timbers and Stars meet for the first time tonight. NSC Minnesota replaced former USL club the Minnesota Thunder in the USSF D-2 Pro League this season. The Timbers posted an 11-5-13 all-time record against the Thunder over nine seasons (2001-09).
As the Timbers near the midway point of the 2010 campaign, their backline is tied for third in fewest goals allowed (9), behind the Vancouver Whitecaps (7) and Carolina RailHawks (8); the Montreal Impact have also allowed nine goals.
Portland finishes its home-and-home series with the Stars on Saturday in Minnesota at 5 p.m. (Pacific). The Timbers continue life on the road as they visit Bremerton, Wash., to play the Kitsap Pumas in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, June 22.
