MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2015 Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Forecast: Mostly Cloudy, 63 degrees
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referees: Ian Anderson, Jeff Hosking
Fourth Official: Juan Guzman
Local TV: ROOT SPORTS
English Radio: 750 The Game (KXTG 750AM, 102.9FM)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 1150AM, 93.5FM)
MATCH PREVIEW
Portland enters its season-opening match against Western Conference foe Real Salt Lake, presented by Providence Health & Services, following a strong performance in preseason, compiling a 2-1-3 overall record in six matches while conceding just three goals (including an own goal). The Timbers earned clean sheets against Sporting Kansas City, the San Jose Earthquakes and Norwegian side Stabæk during preseason play. The kickoff to the 2015 season presented by Simple marks just the second season-opening match against a Western Conference opponent for Portland and the first since 2011 when the team played its first-ever MLS match on the road against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Portland is 2-0-2 in MLS home-opening matches since 2011.
LAST MATCH RECAP
The Timbers concluded their 2015 preseason schedule with a 1-0 win against Norwegian Tippeligaen club Stabækin the final match of the 2015 Simple Invitational in front of 15,523 fans on Feb. 28 at Providence Park. Forward Fanendo Adi registered what would stand as the game-winning goal for the Timbers in the 31st minute. Defender Jorge Villafaña delivered a well-placed cross from the left flank that Adi was able to touch past Stabæk goalkeeper Mandé Sayouba inside the left post.
LAST TIME VS. REAL SALT LAKE
Earning a third consecutive clean sheet at home, the Timbers attempted 23 shots – including 18 in the second half – and played Real Salt Lake to a scoreless draw on Oct. 17, 2014, at Providence Park. The Timbers extended their then-home streak without conceding a goal in regular-season play to 275 consecutive minutes, dating back to Sept. 7, 2014.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Saturday’s match marks the 12th all-time regular-season meeting between the Timbers and Real Salt Lake since 2011 and the first time the two Western Conference sides open the regular season against each other. Portland most recently played Real Salt Lake to a scoreless draw on Oct. 17 at Providence Park. Earlier in the 2014 season, the Timbers earned their first regular-season victory at Rio Tinto Stadium with a 3-1 win on June 7 as Fanendo Adi registered a brace in the first half and midfielder Will Johnson tallied a penalty kick in the 73rd minute to cap the comeback after the Timbers conceded the game’s opening goal in the 23rd minute.
Portland has compiled a 2-5-4 all-time record against Real Salt Lake since 2011, including a mark of 1-1-3 at Providence Park. The Timbers are unbeaten in three consecutive regular-season home games against Real Salt Lake (0-0-3), dating back to Aug. 21, 2013. The two teams met six times in all competitions during the 2013 season and Saturday’s match will mark the 10th meeting in all competitions since 2013. Outside of regular-season play, Portland and RSL tangled in the 2013 U.S. Open Cup semifinals and the two-game 2013 Western Conference Finals series.
SCOUTING REAL SALT LAKE
Head coach Jeff Cassar enters his second year as head coach at Real Salt Lake after taking over for now-New York City FC head coach Jason Kreis in 2014. In his first year as head coach, the former RSL assistant coach helped guide the team to a third-place finish in the Western Conference standings and a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Real Salt Lake toppled out the postseason, conceding five goals across two legs against eventual-champion LA Galaxy in the Western Conference semifinals. Entering 2015, RSL will start without dynamic attacking presence Joao Plata, who is recovering from a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot. The Claret-and-Cobalt also lost mainstays in midfielder Ned Grabavoy and defender Chris Wingert (to NYCFC in MLS Expansion Draft) and defender Nat Borchers in a trade with Portland. Combined, the three players made more than 550 career appearances for RSL from 2007-14. Real Salt Lake brought back defender Jámison Olave in a trade with New York Red Bulls and still features a core group of players including goalkeeper Nick Rimando, defender Chris Schuler and midfielders Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales.
SCORING IN HOME OPENERS
In the club’s four home openers since joining MLS, the Timbers have averaged 2.75 goals per match with 11 goals in total. The high scoring output in season openers at Providence Park is a full goal higher than the club’s goal per game average in home MLS matches (1.56). Portland is 2-0-2 in home openers since entering MLS in 2011, including wins over Chicago (2011) and Philadelphia (2012).
VETERAN EXPERIENCE
The pairing of goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey and centerbacks Liam Ridgewell and Nat Borchers bring a wealth of experience to the Timbers defense. Together, the trio accounts for 817 professional matches (only including league play).
10,000 MINUTES
Darlington Nagbe is closing in on 10,000 minutes played in his professional career - all as a member of the Timbers after being selected as the team’s first-ever MLS SuperDraft pick in 2011. Nagbe, who is tied for sixth all-time in league appearances (127) for the Timbers, enters Saturday’s match with 9,957 minutes played. He needs just 43 minutes to hit the milestone.
HOME COOKING
Portland has compiled a 16-4-14 regular-season mark at Providence Park since 2013, with the team’s four home losses being the second-fewest home losses in MLS over the last two seasons, trailing only the LA Galaxy (3). The Timbers have outscored opponents 63-39 in regular-season home matches at Providence Park since 2013.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Midfielder Diego Chara will move into a tie for ninth-place overall on the Timbers all-time appearances list in his next game. Chara enters Saturday with 118 games played since 2011 - and will tie NASL Timbers defender Graham Day (119) with his next appearance.
With his next appearance, midfielder/forward Darlington Nagbe will take over sole possession of sixth place on the all-time appearances list for the Timbers across all eras, passing USL midfielder/defender Brian Winters (127). Nagbe enters Saturday’s match with 127 appearances since 2011.
FEWEST LOSSES
In the last two seasons, Portland has lost just 14 times in 68 league matches (26-14-28 overall). That is the fewest amount of defeats in that span and also ranks as the fewest losses over two seasons since MLS expanded to 34 games prior to the 2011 season. The Timbers lost just five matches in 2013, which tied for the fewest losses in a 34-game schedule in MLS history.
IRONMAN IN DEFENSE
A former MLS Best XI selection and MLS Cup Champion, defender Nat Borchers has made 288 MLS regular-season appearances, which ranks as the second most among active MLS centerbacks, behind only D.C. United’s Bobby Boswell (291). Borchers also ranks sixth in MLS with 14,074 minutes played since the start of 2010 (including playoffs).
FIRST TIME ON OPPOSITE SIDES
Timbers defender Nat Borchers and Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman have been teammates in 10 different MLS seasons for two different clubs (Colorado and Real Salt Lake). The pair has played 251 regular season matches together, but Saturday will mark the first time they have ever competed against each other in Major League Soccer.
SHUTOUT STREAK INTACT
Portland closed the 2014 MLS season with three consecutive shutouts and a 304-minute streak without conceding a goal in wins over San Jose (Oct. 8) and FC Dallas (Oct. 25) and a scoreless draw against Real Salt Lake (Oct. 17). The longest streak without conceding a goal in the Timbers MLS era is 342 minutes, set during the club’s expansion season in 2011 (Aug. 20-Sept. 21, 2011). If Portland does not concede a goal through the opening 38 minutes of Saturday’s match, it will equal the team’s longest streak in MLS.
NEW LOOK
On Tuesday, Timbers players Fanendo Adi, Diego Chara, Liam Ridgewell and Rodney Wallace helped unveil a new primary kit for the 2015 season during a special season kickoff event. The Timbers will wear the jersey for the first time on Saturday against Real Salt Lake. Inspired by the club’s crest, which features three chevrons representing the Timbers’ membership in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the USL and the current MLS franchise throughout the club’s 40-year history, the focal point of the new primary jersey is a two-colored chevron pattern prominently displayed across the front of the shirt.
