PORTLAND, Ore. – After back-to-back road games, the Portland Timbers U-23s return to Providence Park to play host to Puget Sound Gunners FC on Friday morning in a Providence Health & Fitness Day match; kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. (Pacific). Following Friday’s match, the Timbers U-23s play host to Sounders FC U23 on Sunday at Tualatin High School; kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. (Pacific).
Tickets for Friday’s match against Puget Sound Gunners FC are available at www.timbers.com or at the Providence Park box office.
Friday’s match marks the second, and final, regular-season meeting between the Timbers U-23s and Puget Sound in 2014. The two clubs played to a 1-1 draw on May 17 at Mount Si High School Stadium in Snoqualmie, Wash., as midfielder Fatai Alashe tallied the game-tying goal with 20 minutes remaining in a come-from-behind draw.
Portland (0-1-2, 2pts) currently holds a 6-0-1 overall record against Puget Sound (1-0-1, 4pts) since 2011, including a 3-0-0 record against Gunners FC at home, outscoring the Washington-based side 8-1. The Timbers U-23s last hosted Gunners FC, then called the North Sound SeaWolves, on May 31, 2013, at Providence Park, earning a 2-0 win.
The Timbers U-23s enter Friday’s match following a 3-0 loss against Kitsap Pumas on May 24. Despite a physical contest that saw eight yellow cards and 32 fouls combined between the two sides, Portland finished with a 7-5 advantage in shots and forced the Kitsap goalkeeper to make six saves. The loss was just the second all-time road loss for the Timbers U-23s against Kitsap.
Puget Sound comes to the Rose City following a 3-2 win over Sounders FC U23 on May 25. Although Gunners FC held a 3-0 lead after an hour, Seattle scored two goals in the final 22 minutes.
Seattle Sounders FC U23 (0-2-0, 0pts) visit Portland for the first time this season on Sunday afternoon at Tualatin High School; kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. (Pacific). The Timbers U-23s are 9-2-1 all-time against Sounders FC U23 since 2009 and have compiled a 5-1-1 mark at home. Portland and Sounders FC U23 played to a 1-1 draw in the last meeting of the two clubs on July 16, 2013, at Southridge High School in Beaverton.
Following the consecutive home games, the Timbers U-23s face a four-game road trip from June 6-15.
Craig Mitchelldyer photo