The Timbers play host to Mexico's Club Deportivo Atlas tonight at 6 p.m., presented by Tecate, as part of an event-filled day at PGE Park. Listen to tonight's match live on Sportsradio 95.5 The Game or in Spanish on 910AM+1390AM ESPN Deportes. There will not be a live webstream of tonight's match.
Prior to tonight's friendly, the Timbers U-23s play host to the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency in their PDL regular-season home finale at PGE Park at 2 p.m.
Click here for tonight's match notes.
Tonight's Starters:
POR:
ATL:
Match Preview:
The Portland Timbers take a break from league play as they play host to a pair of premium international exhibition matches, starting tonight as they play host to Mexico’s Club Deportivo Atlas at PGE Park. Tonight’s friendly is the Timbers’ third of four exhibition matches in 2010.
In 2010, the Timbers have faced Costa Rica’s Puntarenas FC (May 1) and Argentina’s Boca Juniors (May 29) at PGE Park. After a 3-1 loss to Puntarenas, the Timbers defeated Argentine giant Boca Juniors 3-2 with a game-winning goal by midfielder
Rodrigo Lopez
.
Tonight, the Timbers take on their fifth Mexican opponent since 2005. Previously, Portland has played Club Necaxa (2007), Monarcas Morelia (2008), U.A.N.L. Tigres (2008) and Club America Reserves (2009) in exhibition contests. The Timbers are 3-2-0 all-time against Mexico-based clubs and owns a 7-3-4 overall record against international opponents.
The Timbers have recorded four consecutive shutouts in league play, which matches a modern-franchise record set back in 2007, to lead the club on a four-game unbeaten streak. Portland last allowed a goal in a 1-0 loss to the NSC Minnesota Stars on June 17 at PGE Park. While the Timbers string of shutouts is at four games, the club has not allowed a goal in 430 minutes of league play, which is a new modern-franchise record. The previous mark was 381 minutes, set during a stretch from May 11-June 9, 2007.
With his goal last night against Miami FC, midfielder
Ryan Pore
has hit the 10-goal mark for the second consecutive season, and becomes just the third player in Timbers modern-franchise history to achieve the feat. Forwards McKinley Tennyson (2002-03) and Byron Alvarez (2003-04) were the others. Now with 20 goals as a member of the Timbers, Pore ranks fourth among franchise career leaders in goals scored.
The Timbers face English Premier League side Manchester City on Saturday July 17, at Merlo Field on the University of Portland campus at 7 p.m. Their next league match is July 22 at the Vancouver Whitecaps, which begins the first of two four-game road trips this season.
