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Last Home Game Pits Palace Baltimore Against Timbers

September 23, 2010 - U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Crystal Palace Baltimore News Release


Baltimore, Md. - Crystal Palace Baltimore (6-16-6) face the Portland Timbers (12-7-9) Saturday, September 25 in their last home game of the season at the Paul Angelo Russo Stadium in Baltimore at 4:30 p.m. It is also the last time that the two clubs will face each other as adversaries in the USSF D-2 Pro League as the Timbers join the MLS for the 2011 season.

Saturday's showdown should be one to remember. With nothing left to play for other than pride this season, Palace Baltimore will no doubt be keen to add to the already sour taste in the Timbers' mouths as they head into the MLS and to prove to their Portland foes that their two wins were deserved. Portland will undoubtedly be keen to erase a losing record to a team that they openly consider inferior.

This is not an average rivalry. An animosity that ordinarily takes years to cultivate, has taken Palace and the Timbers a scant four months to develop. In the very first meeting between the two clubs on May 13, Portland Head Coach, Gavin Wilkinson, and Baltimore Head Coach, Jim Cherneski, had to be separated when Wilkinson leveled some choice words and a kick at Cherneski after Portland's 1-0 loss.

The Timbers' subsequent 2-1 loss to Palace in Baltimore on May 22 did not help the Portland outfit's disposition any either, and with three months to stew over the two losses, the rivalry was fueled further by the incendiary comments made by Wilkinson before the game and by the Timbers' commentary crew during the game. Portland walked out as self-satisfied 3-0 victors in their August 29 home contest despite the head-to-head matchup still 2-1-0 in Baltimore's favor.

"I have a lot of respect for Gavin and his team," said Cherneski. "I don't think that I said anything nasty (after the first game in Portland) and I regret putting my finger in his face. We're playing against a good Portland team that beat us 3-0 last time out. We're looking forward to a good, competitive game and I hope that we can come out on top."

With a win, Palace Baltimore have the opportunity to cement their place in folklore as being the only team in the 2010 regular season four-game setup to have beaten the Timbers three times out of four ahead of their jump to the top flight. It would be an especially poignant milestone considering Baltimore's position at the foot of the league standings.

Palace Baltimore finish their season on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Friday, October 1 at 7 p.m. EST at the George Steinbrenner Field. Palace Baltimore Fans can watch both games live via streaming feed by logging onto live.palacebaltimore.com a few minutes before kickoff.



U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from September 23, 2010


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