Timbers aim to extend five game unbeaten run

Portland Timbers have a moderate 7-5-5 record in league play this season but their recent form suggests a run to the play-offs may be well within their grasp. They are unbeaten in five game and that includes a laudable 1-2 road win over the league leading Vancouver Whitecaps in the Cascadia derby.

If they are to extend that five to six, seven or even eight, they will have to do it on the road. Today they begin a three game trip which will take them to the farthest outreaches of this vast continent. They start tonight in the mid-west at St Louis before heading to Florida to face Tampa Bay. The ‘tour de America’ ends up in the northeast at Rochester Rhinos in New York State.

Tonight’s game kicks off at Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park at 5:10 p.m. (Pacific). Portland will then head south to take on FC Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (Pacific).

Both matches will be broadcast live on Sportsradio 95.5 The Game, with a live video webcast available at www.portlandtimbers.com/live.

The win in Vancouver was their first since since 2004 and only their second in British Columbia in 18 games. It secured them the fan-based Cascadia Cup for a second straight season. Next year they will defend that cup in Major League Soccer against both Vancouver and Seattle. Midfielder Ryan Pore scored his league-leading 11th goal of the season with a penalty and defender Mamadou Danso scored the winner. The early goal they conceded to Caps Nizar Khalfan was the first they had conceded in five games and their defence now leads the league with just 11 conceded.

The Timbers visit to AC St. Louis at Anheuser is the first this season as the first two matches were played at PGE Park. On April 22, Pore recorded two goals and an assist to lead the Timbers to a 3-0 win over AC St. Louis. In the second encounter between the two clubs, AC St. Louis forward Mike Ambersley scored the equaliser in second-half stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw. AC St. Louis will play host to the Timbers in the final game of the regular-season series between the two sides Aug. 14.

Portland faces FC Tampa Bay for the second time during the regular season. In their previous meeting, the Timbers received a game-winning goal from forward Bright Dike in the second half to earn a 1-0 win May 27 at PGE Park. The win over the Rowdies kicked off the club’s current five-game unbeaten streak. Saturday’s match will be the Timbers’ lone visit to George M. Steinbrenner Field during the regular season.

Timbers defender Ian Joy will not be available for tonight’s match due to a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.

The Timbers wrap up their extended four-game road stretch on Wednesday, Aug. 4, in New York against the Rochester Rhinos at Auto Marina Stadium at 4 p.m. (Pacific).

Tags: Portland and Vancouver

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