MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, March 13, 2016
Kickoff: 4 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Avaya Stadium (San Jose, Calif.)
Forecast: Showers, 60 degrees
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referees: Eric Boria, Peter Balciunas Fourth Official: Alex Chilowicz
National TV: FOX Sports 1
Talent: John Strong (play-by-play), Alexi Lalas (analyst), Julie Stewart-Binks (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
Following a 2-1 win against Columbus Crew SC in their season opening match, the Portland Timbers hit the road for the first time in 2016 to take on the San Jose Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium at 4 p.m. (Pacific).
Portland finished the 2015 season tied for the most road wins (7) in the league, while the team’s 14 road wins over the last two seasons rank as the most in MLS over that span. Four of the team’s seven wins on the road came against Western Conference opponents as the Timbers won back-to-back matches on the road against Real Salt Lake (Oct. 14) and the LA Galaxy (Oct. 18) to close out the 2015 regular season.
LAST MATCH RECAP
The Timbers opened the 2016 regular season with a 2-1 victory over Columbus Crew SC before a sold-out crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on March 6. Forward Fanendo Adi and midfielder Diego Valeri, who combined for nine of the team’s 20 shots, both found the back of the net for Portland, propelling the Timbers to their third straight win over Crew SC, including the team’s MLS Cup victory in 2015. With the win, the Timbers remain undefeated in home openers since 2011, and when combined with the final stretch of the 2015 regular season and postseason run, Portland is unbeaten in its last 10 games.
LAST TIME VS. SAN JOSE
Making their first-ever trip to Avaya Stadium, the Portland Timbers recorded their ninth shutout of the season – tied for the most in MLS at that time – to claim a point on the road in a scoreless draw in front of 18,000 fans in San Jose, Calif.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Dating back to the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes have a long history of competition. Playing in the NASL, the two sides squared off 18 times with the Timbers earning a 12-6-0 overall record. The largest margin of victory for either side in those days was a 5-0 home win for the Timbers in 1978. Since 1975, the Timbers have compiled a 17-10-7 record against the Earthquakes in all competitions, including a mark of 5-1-7 in MLS matches.
The Timbers have lost only once against San Jose in MLS play, a 2-1 setback on July 27, 2013, at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Portland has garnered at least a win or draw in four of five road matches against the Earthquakes (1-1-3).
SCOUTING SAN JOSE
San Jose enters Sunday’s match after winning its first game of the season last weekend, securing a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Avaya Stadium. The Earthquakes were propelled to victory by U.S. Men’s National Team forward Chris Wondolowski, who scored the lone goal of the match in the 46th minute of play. Wondolowski led the team in scoring last season, finding the back of the net 16 times in 31 games (30 starts). In the past seven seasons with the Earthquakes, Wondolowski has recorded 105 goals.
Led by Dominic Kinnear, the Earthquakes entered the 2016 campaign with six new additions, including MLS veteran Chad Barrett, after losing seven players in the offseason. Barrett, who spent the past two seasons with Seattle Sounders FC, has played 11 overall seasons in MLS, logging 56 goals, 30 assists and 13,605 minutes in 250 appearances.
HEAD TO HEAD
In 13 overall regular-season meetings between San Jose and the Timbers since 2011, Portland has lost on just one occasion to the Earthquakes.
In the last 303 minutes played between the Earthquakes and the Timbers, Portland has outscored San Jose by a 6-0 margin. The 303-minute shutout streak is the longest in the 41-year history of the two teams facing each other. Most recently, Portland and San Jose battled to a 0-0 draw on Aug. 2, 2015, at Avaya Stadium, with the Timbers outshooting the Earthquakes 15-12.
LATE-GAME STRIKES
The Timbers have scored the most goals after the 75th minute of play in MLS matches throughout the last three seasons (35), recording six more than Toronto FC (29). Of those 35, 10 are go-ahead goals, including forward Fanendo Adi’s game winner in the team’s 2-1 victory over Columbus Crew SC in the 2016 regular-season opener this past weekend.
AWAY FORM
In the past two seasons, the Timbers have recorded the most away victories for any team in MLS, recording 14 wins. In 34 road games played during that span, Portland has compiled a 14-14-6 overall record.
CENTER OF THE PARK
Timbers midfielder Diego Chara earned MLS Team of the Week for Week 1, following a noteworthy performance in Portland’s 2-1 win over Columbus Crew SC on Soccer Sunday. Playing as the defensive midfielder, Chara logged five tackles, four interceptions and nine ball recoveries. Additionally, Chara recorded an 85 percent passing accuracy.
SHUTOUT STREAK
Portland has recorded three consecutive clean sheets against the Earthquakes, dating back to Oct. 8, 2014. Overall, the Timbers have compiled a 17-10-7 record against the Earthquakes in all competitions, dating back to the NASL era, including a record of 3-0-2 in their last five MLS matches.
SEASONED VETERAN
After playing the full 90 minutes in the season opener, defender Nat Borchers surpassed Davy Arnaud, who recently retired, for the ninth most minutes played in MLS. Borchers has played a total 28,537 minutes in his MLS career, which places him behind only D.C. United’s Bobby Boswell among MLS players who spent the majority of their career playing the center back position.
OFFENSIVE PRESSURE
Against Columbus Crew SC in Week 1 of the MLS regular-season schedule, the Timbers attempted 20 shots, which ranked second in the league on Soccer Sunday, one less than Vancouver Whitecaps FC (21). Additionally, the Timbers had two players ranked in the top five for shots taken, with Diego Valeri and Dairon Asprilla both attempting six shots.
ON THE NATIONAL STAGE
The Timbers know how to put on a show for national television - combining with opponents for an average of 3.04 goals per game on national broadcasts since the 2011 season.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Following his 90-minute performance against Columbus Crew in week one, midfielder Diego Chara moved into a tie for fifth place in Timbers history for games played (147). With three more appearances, Chara will move into sole possession of fourth place across all eras.
Forward Fanendo Adi enters Sunday’s match with 26 goals for the Portland Timbers, sitting in seventh place across all eras (since 1975). With two more goals, Adi will move into a tie for sixth place with Fadi Afash, who played as as striker for Portland from 2002-2005 during the club’s USL era.
Midfielder Diego Valeri scored his 24th goal with the club against Columbus last weekend, placing him ninth all time in Portland history. With his next goal, Valeri will move into a tie for seventh place with Ryan Pore.
Goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey currently ranks fifth in Portland history for shutouts. With his next clean sheet, Kwarasey will be tied for fourth place with Mick Poole and Josh Wicks on the Timbers all-time shutout list.
