PORTLAND, Ore. – Playing the final game of three matches in seven days, T2 will travel to face Cascadia-rival Whitecaps FC 2 at McLeod Athletic Park on Saturday, Sept. 30. Set to begin at 3 p.m. (Pacific), Saturday’s match will be available via a live, high-definition web stream at www.timbers2.com.
Saturday’s game marks the third and final meeting between the two clubs in 2017, with Portland being dealt losses at Providence Park on April 16 and June 4. In the last road contest against Vancouver, T2 picked up a 2-0 win over WFC2 at Thunderbird Stadium on Sept. 18, 2016.
T2 (2-20-6, 12pts) enter Saturday’s match following a 2-0 loss against Phoenix Rising FC in the regular-season home finale at Providence Park on Sept. 27. Holding a 15-13 shot advantage in the match, Portland saw its best scoring opportunity of the night in the 89th minute when Tuiloma’s free-kick attempt from the edge of the penalty area forced Phoenix goalkeeper Josh Cohen into a diving tip-save over the crossbar to force a corner kick. Eight minutes earlier, Tuiloma came out from his own half and fired a swerving shot from long range that was caught by Cohen in the 81st minute. Phoenix scored the opening goal of the match in the eighth minute after midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips tapped home a rebound from inside the six-yard box following back-to-back saves by Kendall McIntosh.
Whitecaps FC 2 (5-16-8, 23pts) head into Saturday’s contest after sustaining a 4-0 loss to Phoenix Rising FC at Thunderbird Stadium on Sept. 24, which extended a four-match winless streak. WFC2 currently sits in 14th place in the Western Conference standings and hold a 3-7-4 record at home this season. Midfielder Marco Bustos ranks first on the team with eight goals, last scoring in a 2-1 loss to Orange County SC on Sept. 17. Goalkeeper Spencer Richey leads the team with 50 saves and three clean sheets in 16 appearances this season.
Following Saturday’s match, T2 will travel to face LA Galaxy II at the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific).
