Timbers, Islanders square off tonight in Puerto Rico

September 18, 2010

The Timbers take on the Puerto Rico Islanders tonight on the road; kickoff is slated for 5:05 p.m. (Pacific). Listen to tonight's match live on 750 KXL or watch a live video webcast. Follow in-game updates on Twitter.

Click here for tonight's match notes.

Tonight's Starters:
POR: GK Cronin, D Joy, D Smith, D Keel, D Kirk, M Marcelin, M Pore, M Claesson, M Alhassan, F Suzuki, F DeMartin

PRI: GK Gaudette, D Martinez, D Velez, D Henry, D Rivera, M Miranda, M Gbandi, M Daniel, M Allison, F Folley, F Fana

Match Preview:

On a seven-game unbeaten streak, the Portland Timbers continue life on the road as they visit the Puerto Rico Islanders tonight at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium. The Timbers have recorded shutouts in each of their last three games.
 

Having already clinched a playoff berth, Portland is in the race for one of the top four seeds in the USSF Division-2 Pro League. The Timbers are currently in fourth place in the overall league standings, with a four-point lead over the fifth-place Carolina RailHawks, and rank third in the six-team USL Conference. The top eight clubs in the league – regardless of conference alignment – advance to the playoffs, with the two conference leaders occupying the top two seeds.

With a scoreless draw on the road last weekend in Carolina, the Timbers extended their season-long unbeaten streak to seven matches. During the current unbeaten run, Portland’s defense has logged five shutouts in total and has racked up 334 minutes of play without conceding a goal – the club last allowed a goal in a 1-1 draw against Austin on Aug. 26.

While the Timbers were held scoreless last weekend, the club has still out-scored its opponents 9-3 during their unbeaten stretch. All nine of the team’s goals in the last seven games have been scored by either midfielder Ryan Pore or forward Bright Dike. A rookie, Dike is unavailable for tonight's match due to a one-game, league-imposed suspension for yellow-card accumulation.

The Timbers and Islanders face off for the second time in just over two weeks. They last met on Sept. 2 in Portland, with the Timbers earning a 1-0 win on a late, game-winning goal by Pore. The Timbers have a 7-4-3 all-time record against the Islanders, but have not fared well in Puerto Rico. Since 2005, the Timbers are 1-3-2, and earned their first road victory over the Islanders last season – defender Mamadou Danso scored the winning goal in a 2-1 result May 24, 2009. Portland has not lost to the Islanders in the last four meetings (2-0-2); the club’s last loss to Puerto Rico was July 10, 2008.

Tonight’s match is the second of four straight road games for the Timbers as they conclude their 2010 regular-season schedule.

USL