PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers Reserves will play their first home match of the 2013 MLS Reserve League season Sunday as they play host to USL PRO club VSI Tampa Bay FC at JELD-WEN Field; kickoff is scheduled for 2pm PT (webstream at portlandtimbers.com).
Tickets for the match are $10 general admission and are available for purchase at the JELD-WEN Field box office or online.
Interleague play between MLS Reserve and USL PRO teams is part of a new partnership between Major League Soccer and United Soccer Leagues to enhance the development of professional soccer players in North America. As a result, the Timbers Reserves play a home-and-away series against VSI Tampa Bay FC this season, and will make the trip to Tampa, Fla., on June 1.
READ: MLS and USL PRO enter into new partnership
The Timbers Reserves (1-1-0, 3pts) have opened the season with consecutive road matches, and captured a 1-0 season-opening victory over the Seattle Sounders FC Reserves on March 17 on a late goal from forward Jose Valencia. The team was handed a 1-0 loss by the Colorado Rapids Reserves last weekend.
Just two matches into its inaugural season, VSI Tampa Bay FC is coming off its first win in franchise history, defeating the L.A. Blues 1-0 on Tuesday in Fullerton, Calif. In addition to its newly established USL PRO side, VSI Tampa Bay FC also features a Premier Development League, W-League and Super-20 League teams. Click here for more information the club.
VSI Tampa Bay FC’s roster may have a few names familiar to longtime Timbers fans as they feature several players who played against the second-division Timbers in United Soccer Leagues. Among them, midfielder Tony Donatelli played against the Timbers during his stints with the Vancouver Whitecaps (2006-08) and Montreal Impact (2008-10). Forward Mauricio Salles played in several matches against the USL-era Timbers in his career with the Puerto Rico Islanders (2004-05), Impact (2006) and Rochester Rhinos (2008-09).
