For the second consecutive season, the Portland Timbers will take on a MLS team in its first match in the U.S. Open Cup, as the club hosts the San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday night (7:30pm PT, TICKETS, WEBSTREAM). Here are five numbers to know in a special U.S. Open Cup edition of Quick Strikes.
1 The match will mark the first time since joining MLS that the Timbers have hosted another MLS team in the U.S. Open Cup proper (Portland has twice hosted MLS teams in that span in qualification for the USOC). In that span, Portland has traveled to face MLS teams six times and compiled a record of 3-3.
2 For the second consecutive match, Portland will play San Jose at Providence Park. The Timbers defeated the Earthquakes 1-0 on June 1. This is the first time the Timbers have hosted the same team in consecutive home games since hosting the Cleveland City Stars as a USL club in the final two regular season matches of the 2009 season.
3 With three goals in the competition, midfielder Diego Valeri is currently tied for fourth-most goals in the U.S. Open Cup in team history. Valeri trails only Frederic Piquionne, Gastón Fernández, and Bright Dike for most USOC goals by a Timbers player.
4 This will be the fourth time that Portland will play the Earthquakes in some form of U.S. Open Cup play. In 2004 and 2005, the USL Timbers played the MLS Earthquakes in the fourth round of the competition, while in 2011 the clubs battled in MLS qualification for the competition. The Timbers have played only Seattle Sounders FC more than the Quakes in the U.S. Open Cup.
5 In eight home games this season, Portland has taken home the victory on five occasions. Only one MLS team (Colorado Rapids) has more home wins in 2016 than the Timbers.
