Photo Credit: Oklahoma City Energy FC
Portland Timbers 2 (5-3-2, 17pts) versus LA Galaxy II (1-5-3, 6pts)
Providence Park May 18, 11 am PST, ESPN +
2018 has been a struggle for Los Dos, earning only six points from nine matches. Four of their six points have come from their last five matches. LA might be turning the corner, having earned their first win of the season in their previous match.
Last time out, Los Dos thumped a Saint Louis FC side known for defense 6-3, behind hat tricks from both Ethan Zubak and Efrain Alvarez. The goals were Zubak’s first of the year, bringing him to three goals in nine appearances.
At 15-years-old, Alvarez is the youngest player to ever score a hat trick in the United Soccer League. His three goals raised his season tally to four on the year in only four appearances and earned him USL Player of the Week honors. The emergent wunderkind has represented both the United States and Mexico at the youth international level creating a recruitment battle between the two North American countries.
?@efrain_alvarez1 is TOO good. pic.twitter.com/F99JSdRKf5
— LA Galaxy II (@LAGalaxyII) May 10, 2018
Los Dos has plenty of young talent beyond Alvarez although two of their brightest stars will be unavailable Friday. Midfielder Alex Mendez and forward Ulysses Llanez are in camp with the U.S. U-20’s. Prior to the match against Saint Louis, the 17-year-old Llanez lead LA with two goals scored. Mendez meanwhile has featured twice for Los Dos.
T2 enter the match having beat their arch rivals Seattle Sounders FC 2 in their previous match. Midfielder Eryk Williamson scored the winning goal in stoppage time, earning a 1-0 victory. Williamson’s goal was his first as professional. The American midfielder has been in good form during his first season in Portland and has a burgeoning partnership with fellow center midfielder Renzo Zambrano.
Look at the clock!
Williamson gets the winner in the final play of stoppage for @TimbersFC2 #SEAvPOR #USL pic.twitter.com/pud2qR21SG
— USL (@USL) May 13, 2018
Portland’s attack received most of the acclaim early in the season, but lately it is the defense that is thriving. Against Seattle they earned their sixth clean sheet of the season, even with second choice goalkeeper Alex Mangels filling in for the exemplary Kendall McIntosh. Through ten matches this season, T2 has conceded only ten goals.
A major factor in T2’s recent defensive success is the introduction of center back Bill Tuiloma into the side. Tuiloma started the season with the first team, getting four starts, scoring a goal, and even earning Team of the Week honors for the Major League Soccer side. With the return of Liam Ridgewell, Tuiloma has been seeing action for the USL side. Having started the previous two matches for T2, the Kiwi has looked a class above.
Composed, and nearly too calm, Tuiloma has paired well with fellow first team loanee Modou Jadama. Jadama is one of two players to have started every match for T2 this season. The other being stalwart right back Jimmy Mulligan.
Whether Tuiloma and T2’s defense can contain Los Dos’s 15-year-old attacking dynamo Alvarez will be a thing to see.
Watch live at Providence Park Friday, 11 a.m. PST, or stream online on ESPN+.
T2
USL
