The Timbers take on FC Tampa Bay Rowdies tonight at PGE Park live on FSN. It's the Timbers annual Teddy Bear Toss, presented by Stoel Rives, LLC, and fans are invited to bring new stuffed animals to the match to donate to local charities. On a Kids Sunday at PGE Park, kids 12 and under eat free prior to kickoff at 5 p.m.
Listen to the game live on 95.5 The Game or in Spanish on 910AM+1390 AM ESPN Deportes. Watch a live video webcast at www.portlandtimbers.com/live.
Click here for tonight's match notes.
Tonight's Starters:
POR: GK Cronin, D Thompson, D Smith, D Danso, D Cameron, M Nimo, M McManus, M Gaudet, M Pore, F Dike, F DeMartin
TBR: GK Sattler, D Valentino, D Valentin, D Kljestan, D Diaz, M Ustruck, M Adjeman-Pamboe, M Milien, M Buete, M Tan, M Yamada
Match Preview:
Eight days since their last league match, the Portland Timbers return to USSF Division-2 Pro League play tonight as they play host to FC Tampa Bay Rowdies at PGE Park. Tonight’s fixture marks the Timbers eighth game during the month of June, all of which have been played inside a 22-day span.
The Timbers have won three of their last four games across all competitions, including a 4-1 victory over the Kitsap Pumas in the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match last Tuesday. In that four-game span, the Timbers have out-scored their opponents 9-2; seven different players have scored for the Timbers in the last four games – Alex Nimo, Takayuki Suzuki, James Marcelin, Ryan Pore, Josh Cameron, Ross Smith and Bright Dike.
Similar to seasons past, the Timbers defense ranks among the best in the league. Portland’s backline has conceded just 10 goals in 13 games (0.78 goals-against average), which ranks second in the USSF D-2 Pro League in fewest goals allowed. The Vancouver Whitecaps lead the league in fewest goals allowed (7 in 13 games).
While the Timbers sit in fifth place in the USL Conference, the club sits just six points back of the second place Rochester Rhinos in the conference standings and ranks seventh overall in the USSF D-2 Pro League. The top eight clubs in the league, regardless of conference, advance to the postseason.
The Timbers and Rowdies, one of three expansion teams in the league, square off for the first time this season. Portland and FC Tampa Bay will wrap up a two-game, regular-season series Saturday, July 31 in Tampa, Fla. There is some history between Portland and Tampa Bay franchises, as earlier incarnations of both teams met eight times from 1975-82 in the former North American Soccer League, including the ’75 Soccer Bowl – the league’s championship match.
