PORTLAND, Ore. – Heading into Week 5 of the 2017 USL season, T2 will travel to play Sacramento Republic FC at Papa Murphy’s Park on Saturday, April 22. Set to begin at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), Saturday’s match will be available via a live, high-definition web stream at www.timbers2.com.
The match on Saturday marks the first of two matches between the two clubs in 2017, as both teams will meet Sunday, Aug. 13, at Providence Park; kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. (Pacific). In five all-time meetings between the two team, T2 trail the series 2-5-0.
T2 (0-5-0, 0pts) enter Saturday’s road contest looking to bounce back from a 1-0 loss to Whitecaps FC 2 on April 16. Portland, which held a 16-9 shot advantage, created a number of scoring opportunities in the match. In the 56th minute, Villyan Bijev rifled a shot from the top of the 18-yard box that missed the target. After Bijev played a perfectly weighted pass to Victor Arboleda on the left edge of the box, Arboleda’s shot was saved by Whitecaps FC 2 goalkeeper Sean Melvin in the 64th minute. Whitecaps FC 2 took the lead late in the match when forward Thomas Sanner finished from inside the six-yard box following a rebounded save from goalkeeper Jeff Attinella in the 84th minute.
Sacramento Republic FC (3-2-0, 9pts) enter Saturday’s match after falling 1-0 to Swope Park Rangers at Children’s Mercy Victory Field on April 15, which extended a two-match losing streak. This will be Sacramento’s second match at home this season, and the first since a 4-0 win over Orange County SC on April 1. Forward Samuel Ochoa, who last scored in the 4-0 win over Orange County, leads the team with three goals and two assists, while forward Wilson Kneeshaw ranks second on the team with two goals recorded.
Following Saturday’s match, T2 will play host to San Antonio FC at Providence Park on Friday, April 28; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific).
