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Timbers Weekly Update

November 15, 2012 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Timbers forward Bright Dike (Nigeria) and midfielder Franck Songo'o (Cameroon) each took to the field on Wednesday, earning caps with their respective national teams in international friendlies.

Dike made his international debut as a member of the Starting XI for the Nigeria National Team in a 3-1 win over Venezuela at Marlins Park in Miami, Fla. It was his first national team call-up at any level, joining the Super Eagles in Miami on Sunday. Dike, whose parents were born in Nigeria, had a shot on goal in his 68 minutes of work.

Songo'o made his return to the Cameroon National Team on Wednesday, coming on as a second-half sub in a scoreless draw with Albania in Geneva, Switzerland. He entered the match in the 63rd minute. Songo'o, a native of Yaoundé, Cameroon, made his debut with Cameroon in 2008 and was last called up in 2010.

TEAM NEWS

MLS AT&T Goal of the Year voting reaches Round of 16

It is down to the 16 best goals of the season, as voted by MLS fans, for the MLS AT&T Goal of the Year. The Round of 16 features four groups of goals, and Group 1 is currently up for vote. The top vote-getter from each group advances on to the final round.

Among the Group 1 candidates is Timbers midfielder Jack Jewsbury's volley against FC Dallas on Aug. 5. Click here to cast your vote for Group 1; voting closes Thursday night.

Here is the schedule for the remaining groups: Group 2 (Nov. 16-17), Group 3 (Nov. 18-19) and Group 4 (Nov. 20-21).

2012 MLS Save of the Year voting moves on to Round of 16

Voting for the 2012 MLS Save of the Year has also moved on to the Round of 16. The first of four groups is currently up for vote. Click here to review the four saves in Group A; the poll for Group A closes Thursday night.

Two Timbers - goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and defender Steven Smith - were among the nominees in the opening round.

The schedule for the remaining groups: Group B (Nov. 16-17), Group C (Nov. 18-19) and Group D (Nov. 20-21). The top vote-getter in each group will advance to the final group.

Timbers U-16s forward Rubio Rubin up for U.S. Soccer's Young Male Athlete of the Year

Timbers U-16 forward Rubio Rubin, a member of the U.S. U-17 National Team, is one of five players nominated for U.S. Soccer's Young Male Athlete of the Year award. A poll is currently available online ; the winner will be announced Monday, Nov. 19.

Rubin, from Beaverton, Ore., has spent the last year training at the U.S. U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. Rubin is one of the team's leading goal-scorers with eight goals so far during the 2012 calendar year. He scored in four straight matches from Oct. 6-25.

The other nominees are forward Terrence Boyd, midfielder Joe Corona, defender Shaquell Moore and midfielder Danny Williams.

Online votes for U.S. Soccer's Athlete of the Year awards count for 50 percent of the total votes. The other 50 percent will be represented by votes compiled from members of the national media and U.S. Soccer representatives.

Porter guides Akron to MAC championship, No. 5 seed in NCAA tournament

Caleb Porter, who will take over as the Timbers head coach for the 2013 season, leads the Akron Zips into a sixth consecutive NCAA tournament this weekend. Akron, who earned the No. 5 seed in the tournament, has a first-round bye and will play host to either Michigan or Niagara in the second round Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific).

Under Porter, Akron has advanced to the Round of 16 in each of the last four seasons. The Zips captured the school's first team national championship in any sport in 2010 and was the NCAA runner-up in 2009 - Zips teams that featured Timbers midfielder/forward Darlington Nagbe.

Akron capped an impressive 2012 season by winning its fifth Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament championship in the last six seasons last weekend. With a win over Northern Illinois in the tournament final, Akron pushed its consecutive conference unbeaten streak to 47 games, which represents the longest such run in NCAA history. Since the start of the 2007 season, Akron has gone 44-0-3 against MAC opponents, including postseason play.

Check out the holiday specials at the adidas Timbers Team Store

Shopping for a Timbers fan this holiday season? The adidas Timbers Team Store at JELD-WEN Field will feature a host of specials this holiday season, starting the day after Thanksgiving on Black Friday.

On Black Friday (Friday, Nov. 23), the adidas Timbers Team Store opens 6 a.m. (Pacific) and fans will be greeted by free Stumptown coffee, hot chocolate and Voodoo Doughnuts. The first 20 people through the door will receive a free gift bag, which will include a Timbers primary or secondary replica jersey.

Also on Black Friday, shop.portlandtimbers.com will feature different discounted items every two hours throughout the day starting at 8 a.m. (Pacific).

Timbers announce 2013 tryout details

The Timbers have announced details for their annual tryout, which will take place Jan. 19-20, 2013, at JELD-WEN Field.

The tryout is open to players 18 years of age and older. Interested players with previous college or professional experience are invited to register for the tryout online at www.portlandtimbers.com/tryouts . Players without college or professional experience must submit a playing resume via email to coachingstaff@portlandtimbers.com . The registration fee for the tryout is $150; space is limited.

Additional information regarding the tryout is available online at www.portlandtimbers.com/tryouts .

Tickets for U.S. Women's National team friendly in Portland on sale

Tickets for the U.S. Women's National Team friendly against Ireland at JELD-WEN Field on Nov. 28 are now on sale. Tickets are available for purchase at the JELD-WEN Field box office, which is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as online at www.USsoccer.com and through Ticketmaster.

The U.S. Women's National Team, gold-medal winners of the London 2012 Olympics, visits the Rose City as part of their Fan Tribute Tour. The Nov. 28 match will kick off at 7 p.m. (Pacific).

Timbers U-23s defender Anthony Hobbs named a finalist for Senior CLASS Award

Timbers U-23s defender Anthony Hobbs, a senior at Florida International University, has been named one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award for men's Division I soccer. Finalists were selected by a media committee from a group of 30 candidates announced in September. Click here for more on Hobbs and the Senior CLASS Award.

A fan vote is now open to help decide the 2012 recipient; click here to submit a vote before Nov. 19. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2012 NCAA Men's and Women's College Cup championships in early December.

Five Timbers U-23s players begin play in NCAA tournament this week

The draw for the 48-team NCAA men's soccer tournament took place on Monday, and four college teams led by Portland Timbers U-23s players begin the quest for the 2012 NCAA College Cup this week.

Timbers U-23s goalkeeper Spencer Richey will lead the University of Washington against Air Force in a first-round matchup Thursday. The winner of the Washington-Air Force match will advance to the second round against No. 12 Creighton University, which features a pair of Timbers U-23s players in defenders Andrew Ribeiro and Eric Miller, on Sunday in Omaha, Neb.

Additionally, Timbers U-23s defender Reed Matte leads University of Alabama at Birmingham into a first-round match against Charlotte on Thursday in Charlotte, N.C. Louisville and Timbers U-23s defender Brock Granger have earned a first-round bye and will play host to either Winthrop or Southern Methodist in the second round on Sunday at Cardinal Park.

Timbers Academy teams head to California this weekend

The Timbers Academy teams head to California for a pair of matches this weekend, facing Cal Odyssey and the San Jose Earthquakes Academy on back-to-back days.

The Timbers U-18 Academy kicks off the weekend Saturday against Cal Odyssey at 12 noon (Pacific), with the Timbers U-16 Academy playing Cal Odyssey's U-16s at 2:30 p.m. (Pacific); both matches will be held at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif.

On Sunday, the U-18 teams for the Timbers and Earthquakes meet at 10:30 a.m. and the Timbers U-16s and Earthquakes U-16s square off at 1:30 p.m. at the Nutrilite Training Facility in San Jose, Calif.

TEAM MEDIA SOURCES

Radio: "Talk Timbers"

The Timbers' weekly radio talk show, "Talk Timbers," presented by JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, continues over the offseason on its regularly scheduled Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m. (Pacific) on 750 AM The Game. Hosted by Fletcher Johnson, "Talk Timbers," a one-hour show during the offseason, will provide team news and the latest information from around MLS.

Fans can submit questions, provide comments or simply following the conversation on Talk Timbers on Twitter with the hashtag #TalkTimbers.

Fans can tune in to the show live on 750 AM The Game or listen online at www.750thegame.com . Available podcasts can be downloaded at www.portlandtimbers.com/timbers-podcast-network .


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