PORTLAND
, Ore.
–
The Portland Timbers conclude the 2007 regular season Sunday against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Swangard Stadium as they continue their run at the regular-season title. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
A live broadcast of the match is available at
www.portlandtimbers.com
. A video webcast will also be available through USL Live at
www.usllive.com
.
On Sunday, defender
Cameron Knowles
can become just the ninth Timbers player since 2001 to appear in all 28 games in a season. Knowles has appeared in 27 matches in 2007 and leads the league in minutes played at 2,430. The last Timbers players to play all 28 matches in a season were midfielder
Luke Kreamalmeyer
and defender
Lee Morrison
in 2006.
Portland (14-5-8, 50pts) moved back into first place in the USL First Division with a 1-0 road win over the Carolina RailHawks on Sept. 1. Now tied for first with the Montreal Impact, the Timbers and Impact each have a two-point lead over the Seattle Sounders. Seattle has two matches remaining while Montreal finishes its season on Saturday.
In a close race at the top of the table, the Timbers continue to battle for positioning heading into the playoffs next week. Portland has a chance to finish the season as high as first but will need help from other teams, or can finish as low as third in the standings. The Whitecaps (9-7-10, 37pts), who currently sit in seventh place, can finish the season has high as fourth.
The Timbers, who have won three of their last four matches, make their only trip of the 2007 regular season to Vancouver, where they are just 1-11-1 since 2001. In two previous meetings this season at PGE Park, the Timbers are 1-0-1 against the Whitecaps. Since 2001, the Timbers are 7-14-7 against Vancouver.
The Timbers begin the 2007 USL First Division playoffs on Sept. 14, and will return home for their first-round, home playoff match on Sept. 16, at PGE Park at 5 p.m. Playoff tickets start at $12 and are available at the PGE Park box office, area Ticketmaster outlets, online at
www.ticketmaster.com
or by phone at (503) 224-4400.
ABOUT VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
The Whitecaps are on a two-game winning streak, ending their August schedule with a pair of 1-0 wins over the Charleston Battery and Minnesota Thunder. Vancouver hosts two matches this week against playoff-bound teams - the Atlanta Silverbacks on Friday and the Timbers on Sunday. In their last match, midfielder
Martin Nash
led the Whitecaps to a 1-0 win over the Thunder on Aug. 30, to earn USL First Division Team of the Week honors for Week 20. In their last four matches, all at home, the Whitecaps are 2-1-1. Vancouver is 5-3-4 at home this season.
