PORTLAND, Ore. – Following a 3-1 win against Real Monarchs SLC in their opening match of the 2015 USL season, T2 play host to defending USL-champion Sacramento Republic FC at Merlo Field on Thursday, April 2, at 7 p.m. (Pacific).
T2 (1-0-0, 3pts) earned a win in their inaugural USL match, defeating Real Monarchs on Sunday at Merlo Field. Forward Kharlton Belmar tallied a brace, including the club’s first-ever goal. Belmar, a former Portland Timbers U-23s standout, opened the scoring with a header in the 31st minute after receiving a cross from Schillo Tshuma. In the second half, Belmar put Portland ahead 2-0 in the 54th minute, finishing his second goal into an open net after taking advantage of a misplayed ball by the Real Monarchs goalkeeper. Belmar was named to the USL Team of the Week for Week 2 for his performance in the match. Forward Rundell Winchester also recorded a goal with an impressive diving header off a cross from defender Andy Thoma in the 58th minute, closing out the scoring for T2 in their debut match.
Sacramento Republic FC (1-1-0, 3pts) enter Thursday’s match following a 3-2 road victory against LA Galaxy II at the StubHub Center’s Track and Field Stadium in Carson, Calif. The win against LA Galaxy II earned Republic FC their first win of the 2015 USL season. Midfielder Octavio Guzman recorded his first career brace, scoring penalty-kick goals in the 12th and 25th minutes. Guzman has tallied three goals in just two matches for Republic FC this season. Midfielder Rodrigo Lopez netted the game-winning goal for Republic FC in the 90th minute from a two-on-one breakaway.
In their inaugural season in 2014, Republic FC won the USL championship, defeating the Wilmington Hammerheads (Sept. 13) and LA Galaxy II (Sept. 20) in the first two rounds of the postseason before logging a 2-0 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders in the title game on Sept. 27 at Bonney Field in Sacramento.
Following Thursday’s match, T2 hit the road to face Real Monarchs again, this time at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, on Wednesday, April 8; kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (Pacific). Wednesday’s road match will be carried on a live, high-definition web stream on www.timbers2.com.
Season tickets, starting at just $8 per game, for T2 home matches are available at www.timbers2.com or by calling (503) 553-5555. Single-game tickets for T2 matches can be purchased online here, by phone at (888) 736-6849 or at the Providence Park box office. The Providence Park box office is open Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
