MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Friday, Aug. 18, 2017
Kickoff: 7 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Forecast: Sunny, 79 degrees
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Apolinar Mariscal Fourth Official: Daniel Radford
VAR: Ismail Elfath
National TV: FS1
Talent: John Strong (play-by-play), Alexi Lalas (analyst), Katie Witham (side- line reporter)
English Radio: 750 The Game (KXTG 750 AM, 102.9 FM)
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst), Fletcher Johnson (host)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
Talent: Josue del Castillo (play-by-play), Oscar Ramos (analyst)
MATCH PREVIEW
The Portland Timbers will return to Providence Park this week, with the team set to play host to the New York Red Bulls on Friday, Aug. 18. Beginning at 7 p.m. (Pacific), the match against New York will be broadcast live on FS1 with local radio broadcasts on 750 AM/102.9 FM The Game (English) and La GranD 1150 AM/93.5 FM (Spanish). Entering Friday’s match, the Timbers have won the second-most home games in the league, dating back to the start of the 2016 campaign, with 18 wins at Providence Park, compiling a 18-5-6 during that stretch. Sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, the Red Bulls enter Friday’s match coming off a 3-2 win against USL side FC Cincinnati in the semi-finals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, Aug. 15. With the result, the Red Bulls have won eight of their last nine matches across all competitions.
LAST MATCH RECAP
The Portland Timbers fell 4-1 to Toronto FC before 28,415 fans at BMO Field on Aug. 12. Midfielder Diego Valeri scored the lone goal for the Timbers in the second half, recording his 50th career league goal to become just the 18th player in MLS history to tally at least 50 goals and 50 assists in league play.
LAST TIME VS. RED BULLS
The Portland Timbers earned an away point in a 0-0 draw against the New York Red Bulls before 19,985 fans at Red Bull Arena on July 10, extending their unbeaten run to seven games in league play.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Friday’s match marks the eighth regular-season meeting between the Timbers and the Red Bulls since the start of the 2011 campaign. In the most recent meeting between the two teams, Portland and New York battled to a scoreless 0-0 draw at Red Bull Arena on July 10, 2016. Midfielder Darlington Nagbe leads all active Timbers for goals scored against New York with two goals. Both teams have combined for 24 goals scored in seven games played, with Portland and New York combining to average 3.42 goals per game in the season series.
SCOUTING THE RED BULLS
Sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, the Red Bulls enter Friday’s match coming off a 3-2 win against USL side FC Cincinnati in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, Aug. 15. With the result, the Red Bulls have won eight of their last nine matches across all competitions, dating back to June 28. Forward Bradley Wright-Phillips leads the team in goals scored (14), while Sacha Klejstan has created the most assists (12).
