The Timbers look to continue their unbeaten streak tonight as they face the Austin Aztex down south at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific). Catch a live broadcast on 95.5 The Game or watch a live video webcast through USL Live - now free at usllive.com.
Click here for tonight's match notes.
Tonight's Starters:
POR:
AUS:
Match Preview:
The Portland Timbers continue a stretch of four consecutive road fixtures tonight in Austin, Texas, as they take on the expansion Austin Aztex. The Timbers make a two-game trip to face the Miami FC Blues next weekend before their next home match on July 23 at PGE Park.
Tonight’s contest marks the Timbers’ halfway point in their 2009 USL First Division campaign. Since falling to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the season opener on the road, Portland has assembled a modern-franchise record 13-game unbeaten streak, going 7-0-6 since April 25. The Timbers’ unbeaten streak ranks among the longest in the USL First Division over the last decade.
Portland (7-1-6, 27pts) opened its current series of road matches on July 4, with a 1-1 draw against the Minnesota Thunder. Midfielder
Tony McManus
gave the Timbers the lead in the second half, but the Thunder responded in second-half stoppage time to level the score. On the night, Portland forward
Mandjou Keita
was credited with his second assist of the season on McManus' strike; he ranks second among the league leaders in scoring with 14 points.
With the draw last weekend, the Timbers are 1-1-5 on the road this season and have continued to match opponents in scoring, 5-5. Portland has recorded draws in their last three league matches on the road.
For his efforts against Minnesota, McManus was named to the USL First Division Team of the Week for Week 13 on Tuesday. It's McManus' first USL First Division Team of the Week selection as a member of the Timbers and he becomes the 10th different Timbers player to earn the honor this season.
The Timbers travel to Austin for the first-ever meeting between the two clubs. It's the first of three scheduled, regular season meetings this season. Portland is 6-0-2 against expansion clubs during their inaugural seasons since 2007, including a 0-0 draw against the Cleveland City Stars earlier this season.
Before their next home match, the Timbers take a trip to Miami, Fla., to face the Miami FC Blues in a two-game, weekend series on July 17 and July 19. The two-game series marks the first meetings between the two clubs in 2009.
