MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, March 6, 2016
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Forecast: Scattered Showers, 55 degrees
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referees: Mike Kampmeinert, Adam Garner Fourth Official: Juan Guzman
National TV: ESPN/ESPN Deportes (Spanish)
Talent: Adrian Healey (play-by-play), Taylor Twellman (analyst), Monica Gonzalez (reporter)
English Radio: 750 The Game (KXTG 750 AM, 102.9 FM)
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
Talent: Josue del Castillo (play-by-play), Ozkar Ramos (analyst)
MATCH PREVIEW
Sunday’s season-opening game marks the first meeting between both sides since the 2015 MLS Cup. The Timbers, who are 2-0-3 in opening matches since 2011, will begin their sixth MLS season against Columbus Crew SC, who fell 2-1 to Portland in last year’s championship match.
The Timbers are unbeaten in their previous three matches against Columbus in all competitions, dating back to May 17, 2014. In their most recent regular-season match on Sept. 26, 2015, Portland secured a 2-1 victory over Crew SC when forward Fanendo Adi recorded a brace to break the single-season club record for goals (12), surpassing the previous record (11) set by Diego Valeri in 2014.
LAST MATCH RECAP
In their final match of the 2016 Simple Invitational, the Portland Timbers fell 2-0 to the Chicago Fire before 16,134 fans at Providence Park. In the final game of this year’s Simple Invitational, the Timbers produced 20 shots while creating numerous goal-scoring opportunities in both halves. But Arturo Alvarez opened the scoring for Chicago in the 28th minute, heading Michael Harrington’s cross into the bottom, left corner. The Fire doubled their lead with 10 minutes remaining in the first half when Alvarez’s free kick into the six-yard box found Gilberto, who brought the ball down before slotting it into the back of the net.
LAST TIME VS. COLUMBUS CREW SC
The Timbers became the 10th different team and third expansion team (Chicago Fire, 1998; Real Salt Lake 2009) in league history win MLS Cup, as midfielder Diego Valeri and Rodney Wallace each scored goals in the opening seven minutes of the match, including the fastest goal in MLS Cup history, to secure a 2-1 win in front of a sellout crowd 21,747 fans at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Sunday’s match marks the eighth all-time meeting across all competitions between the two clubs since 2011. The Timbers have compiled a 2-2-2 overall regular-season record against Columbus since 2011 and have registered two shutouts in six regular-season matches against Crew SC.
In their only match up during the regular season last year, Portland earned a 2-1 victory against Crew SC on Sept. 26 at MAPFRE Stadium. The Timbers extended their unbeaten run against Columbus across all competitions to three games (2-0-1) when the team defeated Crew SC 2-1 in MLS Cup on Dec. 6, 2015.
SCOUTING COLUMBUS CREW SC
Head coach Gregg Berhalter enters his third year at the helm for Columbus, after guiding the team to a 15-11-8 record (53 points), the second-highest point total in a single season in club history in 2015. Last season, Columbus advanced to their second-ever Eastern Conference Championship and secured a berth in MLS Cup for the second time in club history. Entering 2016, Crew SC will begin the new season with numerous familiar faces from its 2015 campaign, including forward Kei Kamara - who finished second in MLS for goals last season with 22. Additionally, Ethan Finlay, 2015 MLS All-Star and Best XI honoree, returns to the team after notching a career-high 12 goals and 13 assists in 2015.
Crew SC also added several MLS veterans such as Corey Ashe and Conor Casey, who have featured in 411 league games combined. Both players were acquired in free agency. Additionally, Columbus signed defender Amro Tarek on loan from La Liga side Real Betis. The team’s most notable offseason loss was veteran defender Emanuel Pogatetz, who appeared in 19 games (16 starts) last season.
SCORING IN HOME OPENERS
In the club’s five home openers since joining MLS, the Timbers have averaged 2.2 goals per match with 11 goals total. Portland is 2-0-3 in home openers since entering MLS in 2011, including wins over Chicago (2011) and Philadelphia (2012). In last year’s opener, the team drew Real Salt Lake 0-0.
HOME COOKING
Portland has compiled a 24-7-20 regular-season mark at Providence Park since 2013, with the team’s seven home losses being the second-fewest in MLS over the last three seasons, trailing only the LA Galaxy (4).
CONSISTENCY
Over the last three seasons, the Timbers have compiled regular-season point totals of 57 (2013), 49 (2014) and 53 (2015), reaching the postseason in two of the last three years. Over that span of time, Portland’s combined point total (159) ranks as the fourth most in MLS, behind only the New York Red Bulls (169), Seattle Sounders FC (167) and LA Galaxy (165).
BUILDING ON SUCCESS
Portland concluded the 2015 season with several impressive marks in a variety of categories. The Timbers racked up an MLS-club record mark with 15 wins, while tying for the league lead in shutouts (13). Portland finished with the league lead in both chances created (477) and total shots (486), while also conceding the third-fewest goals (39) among all teams.
In the playoffs, nine different players scored goals for Portland in the 2015 MLS Cup playoffs, the most of any team in the postseason.
FAMILIAR FACES
Former Columbus Crew SC players, defender Chris Klute and forward Jack McInerney, were both acquired by Portland via trade during the offseason. Klute, who was traded to Columbus prior to the start of the 2015 regular season, appeared in 14 games, logging 832 minutes for Crew SC. McInerney joined Crew SC midway through the season, scoring two goals in seven games across all competitions.
DEFENDING PORTLAND
The Portland Timbers defense ranked atop the league table for shutouts in 2015, recording 13 clean sheets. Over the last three seasons, Portland has registered the most shutouts (35) among all MLS teams.
FEWEST LOSSES
In the last three seasons, Portland has lost just 25 times in 102 league matches (41-25-36 overall). That is the fewest amount of defeats during that span. The Timbers lost just five matches in 2013, which is tied for the fewest losses in a 34-game schedule in MLS history.
ROUNDING OUT 2015
Portland enters Sunday’s game against Columbus on a nine-match unbeaten run across all competitions, dating back to Oct. 14, 2015. The Timbers have earned a 7-0-2 overall record, while posting a record of 5-0-1 in its last six matches on the road. Going back to Sept. 20, the Timbers have lost just two of their last 11 matches across all competitions.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
With his next appearance, midfielder Darlington Nagbe will take over sole possession of first place on the all-time appearance list for the Timbers across all eras, surpassing NASL Timbers winger Willie Anderson (160). Nagbe enters Sunday’s match with 160 appearances since being drafted by Portland as the No. 2-overall pick in 2011.
Midfielder Diego Valeri is approaching 7,000 minutes played for his MLS career since joining the league in 2013. The midfielder enters Sunday’s match with 6,753 minutes played in three seasons. Valeri needs just 247 additional minutes to reach the 7,000 mark.
NEXT UP
Following the opening fixture against Columbus, Portland will play their first road match of the season against the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday, March 13 at Avaya Stadium. The match will be nationally televised on FOX Sports 1. The contest marks one of three meetings between the two teams this season. In 13 overall games played against San Jose, Portland has only lost on one occasion, compiling a 5-1-7 overall record. The Timbers will return to Providence Park for their third match of the season against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, March 19. The match will be broadcast locally on KPTV at 7:30 p.m. PT. In 14 games played, Portland has a 4-5-5 overall record against Real Salt Lake. In six home games against Real Salt Lake, the Timbers have one loss, compiling seven overall points.
