Timbers to host Earthquakes
Published on August 2, 2005 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Portland Timbers News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers play host to one of the top sides in Major League Soccer when the San Jose Earthquakes make the trip to PGE Park for a fourth-round U.S. Open Cup match this Wednesday, Aug. 3.
Coming on the heels of last month's 0-0 draw with the Premiership's Sunderland AFC, the event kicks off at 7 p.m. (Pacific).
THE EARTHQUAKES
Currently tied for first place with FC Dallas in the Western Conference of MLS, San Jose (9-4-7, 34pts) has won six of its last eight matches, heading into the stretch run of the season as one of the league's hottest teams. MLS All-Star Brad Davis and Canadian International Dwayne De Rosario pace the league with eight assists apiece, while goalkeeper Pat Onstad ranks among MLS leaders with a 1.15 goals-against average. Forwards Alejandro Moreno and Ronald Cerritos have each notched five goals this season.
GOLDTHWAITE RECALLED
Timbers defender Kevin Goldthwaite finds himself in the unique situation of playing for both teams on Wednesday, as the rookie was recalled by San Jose to play in the U.S. Open Cup match. Goldthwaite, who was loaned to the Timbers from the Earthquakes for the remainder of the season last week, will be able to play only for San Jose during the rest of the competition, should the Earthquakes advance past the Timbers. If Portland wins, Goldthwaite will be ineligible to play in subsequent U.S. Open Cup games. Goldthwaite has been training in Portland and will be ready to play in Friday's match vs. Minnesota at PGE Park.
ON THE LINE
The winner of Wednesday's game will play either the Los Angeles Galaxy or CD Chivas USA, depending on the outcome of the cross-town rivals' fourth-round match on Wednesday at the Home Depot Center. If the Timbers advance, they will host the fifth-round affair on Tuesday, Aug. 23 at PGE Park.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation's National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest annual team tournament in U.S. sports and among the oldest soccer tournaments of its type in the world. Within the U.S. Open Cup framework, teams compete in one of the following four categories: professional outdoor Division I (Major League Soccer), Division II (USL D1) or Division III (USL D2); or Amateur Division (USL Premier Development League & U.S. Adult Soccer Association).
LOCAL QUAKES
San Jose defender Ryan Cochrane, a Portland native who attended La Salle High School in Milwaukie, Ore., will sit out of the match with a hip pointer. A University of Portland product, Kelly Gray was traded to the Earthquakes from Chicago earlier this season and is eligible for a Wednesday homecoming. A third Quake, Craig Waibel, was born in Portland, but will also miss the match with injuries.
OLD SCHOOL
The Timbers and Earthquakes played each other 18 times as members of the North American Soccer League from 1975-82. The Timbers owned the all-time series 12-6, outscoring San Jose by a 37-25 margin. The Timbers also played what was perhaps their most important match in franchise history in San Jose, losing 2-0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in Soccer Bowl '75 at Spartan Stadium.
ALVAREZ OUT
Timbers forward Byron Alvarez will not be eligible on Wednesday as he serves out a one-game suspension for drawing a red card in last month's 2-0 win over Seattle in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. Tied for tops on the team with five goals in league play this season, Alvarez' suspension will not factor into league contests.
KIWIS HURTING
Both of the Timbers' New Zealand Internationals, Aaran Lines and Gavin Wilkinson, will be held out of action with injuries. Lines suffered a groin injury during training on Sunday and Wilkinson is still battling back problems that could keep him sidelined for the rest of the season.
BACK IN ACTION
After more than three weeks off from league competition, the Timbers return to action in the USL First Division with two home matches in three days, beginning this Friday, Aug. 5, against the Minnesota Thunder at PGE Park. The game has a special 8 p.m. kickoff to accommodate a nationwide broadcast on Fox Sports World. On Sunday, Aug. 7, Portland battles its archrival Seattle at 5 p.m. Despite playing the Sounders four times this season in road, exhibition and U.S. Open Cup contests, Sunday's showdown marks the first time Seattle plays a league match at PGE Park in 2005.
TIMBERS VS. MLS
The Timbers are 2-2 all-time versus MLS sides, but 0-1 against San Jose in U.S. Open Cup play, losing to the Earthquakes 3-0 in last year's fourth round match at PGE Park, which drew nearly 11,000 fans to the event. Portland is 1-1 vs. Los Angeles in exhibitions and 1-0 against San Jose in exhibition play.
TICKET INFO
Tickets for the match, which range from $13-$27, are currently on sale at area Ticketmaster outlets and at the PGE Park box office. Online purchases can be made at Ticketmaster.com and by phone at (503) 224-4400. Groups of 15 or greater are encouraged to contact the Timbers ticket office at (503) 553-5407 for discounts of $3-$5 per ticket.
HOT OFF THE PRESS
The third and final issue of the 2005 Timbers Review, the official magazine of the Portland Timbers, goes on sale Wednesday, featuring a Q&A with defender Scot Thompson, a feature story on Timber Jim and a preview of the Timbers' upcoming opponents at PGE Park for the remainder of the campaign.
ON THE AIR
The San Jose match can be heard live on KZNY AM-1010, in Spanish on KXMG AM-1150 and online at www.portlandtimbers.com. Andy McNamara will call the match in English, while Arnulfo Alvarez will broadcast in Spanish.
USL First Division Stories from August 2, 2005
- Timbers to host Earthquakes - Portland Timbers
- Sounders last four home games of 2005 on demand - Seattle Sounders
- MLS leading goal scorer to face Thunder Wednesday - Minnesota Thunder
- Harris welcomed aboard Mariners' ship - Virginia Beach Mariners
- Rhinos add two young bucks and a veteran - Rochester Rhinos
- USL announces teams of the week - USL-1
- Kickers Add Firepower With Signing of PDL MVP Mingo - Richmond Kickers
- Battery busy this weekend - Charleston Battery
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