Timbers, Kitsap square off in U.S. Open Cup play tonight

With a match against MLS' Seattle Sounders FC awaiting the winner, the Timbers take on the Kitsap Pumas tonight in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup at 7 p.m. Listen to the game live on 95.5 The Game or follow in-game updates on Twitter.




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, D DeMartin




KIT: GK Brim, D Mohn, D Scott, D Hyde, D Lee, M Hepple, M Fishbaugher, M Besagno, M Cascio, F Perdido, F Christner




Match Preview:


Fresh off a stretch of three games in five days, the Portland Timbers visit the Kitsap Pumas in the second round of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Tonight's match marks the fourth road match of the month for the Timbers and seventh match overall in June.
Portland defeated the Sonoma County Sol of the U.S. Adult Soccer Association in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup on June 15 at PGE Park to reach the second round. The winner of tonight's contest advances to the third round and will face the defending U.S. Open Cup-champion Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.
Against the Sol, midfielders Alex Nimo, James Marcelin and Takayuki Suzuki each scored their first goals of the season to contribute in the victory. Goalkeeper Steve Cronin recorded his third shutout in U.S. Open Cup play as a member of the Timbers.
The Timbers visit Bremerton, Wash., for the second straight year to face the Pumas in the U.S. Open Cup. In 2009, Portland defeated Kitsap 3-0 in a first-round tilt. The Timbers scored all three goals in the second half, starting with a strike from Brian Farber in the 46th minute. Forward Jason McLaughlin and defender David Hayes each tallied in the 90th minute to finish the scoring.
Portland is coming off a 2-0 road win over the NSC Minnesota Stars over the weekend. Midfielder Ryan Pore and defender Josh Cameron each found the back of the net and Cronin turned in his fourth shutout of the season, and second of the week, to help the Timbers snap an eight-game winless stretch in league play and earn their first road win on the campaign. Portland remains in fifth place in the USL Conference, but are within three points of the second-place Rochester Rhinos.
The Timbers are 6-6-0 all-time in U.S. Open Cup matches, and have reached as far as the fourth round in 2004 and 2005, facing the San Jose Earthquakes of MLS in both tournaments.