Timbers Start Final Stretch Of 2007 Season Thursday In Minnesota
August 15, 2007 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Portland Timbers News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers begin the final stretch of the 2007 regular season on the road against the Minnesota Thunder on Thursday. A win or a draw helps the Timbers clinch a playoff spot for the fifth time in seven seasons since Portland joined the USL First Division in 2001.
Kickoff on Thursday is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. (Pacific). A live broadcast of the match is available on www.portlandtimbers.com and through USL Live on www.usllive.com.
Portland (11-4-7, 40pts) is one point shy from clinching a spot in the 2007 playoffs. In the 12-team USL First Division, the top eight teams advance to the postseason. Currently, the bottom four clubs have a maximum point potential of 40 points or fewer, allowing the Timbers to capture a playoff berth with one more point.
The Timbers are coming off back-to-back shutouts last week against the Thunder and Vancouver Whitecaps at PGE Park in two 0-0 draws. In their last six matches, the Timbers are 0-2-4 and have scored only one goal, but they remain in first place in the USL First Division.
Thursday's match against the Thunder (3-8-10, 19pts) marks the third time in two weeks the two teams have played one another. The two previous meetings this season both ended in a tie - a 1-1 draw in Minnesota on Aug. 4 and a 0-0 draw at PGE Park on Aug. 9. On Aug. 4, midfielder Lawrence Olum scored on a header to help the Timbers pull even in the second half. Since 2001, Portland is 9-5-7 against the Thunder and is 5-2-4 in Minnesota.
Head coach Gavin Wilkinson will be without forward Bryan Jordan on Thursday, as Jordan serves a one-game, league-imposed suspension for yellow card accumulation. Goalkeeper Bayard Elfvin has returned from duty with the U.S. Beach Soccer National Team in the qualifying round of the 2007 FIFA Beach World Cup and will be available for the match in Minnesota.
In Minnesota, the Timbers begin a series of road games with five of their final six matches away from home. After Thursday, Portland plays its final regular-season home match on Aug. 23 at PGE Park and then ends the 2007 season with four consecutive road matches. The Timbers are 4-4-1 on the road this season.
ABOUT MINNESOTA THUNDER
The Thunder have started their nine-game August schedule with four consecutive draws - including two against the Timbers. In their recent road trip through the Northwest, the Thunder earned a draw against the Seattle Sounders, Vancouver and Portland. Forward Keisuke Ota scored two goals against Seattle to earn his first USL First Division Team of the Week honors. Minnesota begins a three-game homestand against Portland on Thursday and also faces the Rochester Raging Rhinos and Atlanta Silverbacks at home before wrapping up the month of August on the road. Minnesota is 2-4-3 at home this season.
USL First Division Stories from August 15, 2007
- US Open Cup Tickets Selling Fast - Seattle Sounders
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- Carolina RailHawks to Host Atlanta Silverbacks - North Carolina FC
- Impact Newsletter - Montreal Impact
- Silverbacks Invite The City's Best to 2007 Atlanta Silverbacks Champions League - Atlanta Silverbacks
- The Impact Faces The Victory In California Thursday - Montreal Impact
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