The Portland Timbers Reserves will play rival Seattle Sounders FC Reserves today in their season-opening match of the 2013 MLS Reserve League Season at Starfire Sports Complex; kickoff is scheduled for 5pm PT. Audio from the match will be streamed live beginning at 4:50pm courtesy of Seattle Sounders FC.
This is the fifth all-time meeting between the Timbers Reserves and Sounders FC Reserves. Portland is 2-2-0 against Seattle in Reserve League play, beating the Sounders twice in 2012. Sounders FC Reserves won both meetings against the Timbers Reserves in 2011.
The Timbers Reserves finished last year’s 10-game schedule in a third-place tie with the Sounders FC Reserves in the MLS Reserve League’s Western division with a 4-5-1 record.
Portland Timbers Reserves notched a 3-2 victory over the Sounders FC Reserves in last year’s MLS Reserve League finale Sept. 16, 2012 at JELD-WEN Field. The match drew 8,968 and Timbers scored three times in the first 15 minutes, including a point-blank goal from Homegrown Player Brent Richards.
Portland will play host to VSI Tampa Bay FC on April 7, at JELD-WEN Field to open their home schedule of MLS Reserve League matches.
Here’s a look at some key players that could feature in today’s match against the Sounders:
Portland
Dylan Tucker-Gagnes – The former Timbers U-23s product was drafted by the Timbers with the 34th overall pick, the club’s only pick of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. The 22-year old University of Washington product played in five Timbers preseason matches, including the full 90 in the club’s preseason finale against AIK. Tucker-Gangnes played for the Timbers U-23s during the 2011 Premier Development League season, helping the club qualify for their first Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament.
Mobi Fehr – The 18-year old midfielder joined the Timbers via MLS weighted lottery on Dec. 18, 2012. Fehr appeared in three preseason matches for the Timbers. The teenager has also been a member of U.S. youth national teams at the U-17, U-18 and U-20 levels. A key figure in the United States’ run to the Round of 16 in the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Fehr also started the first four matches of the CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Jamaica and came off the bench in the tournament final, contributing to a 3-0 overtime win.
Seattle
Eriq Zavaleta - The Sounders selected Zavaleta with the 10th overall pick in this year’s MLS SuperDraft. The forward out of Indiana scored 18 goals during his senior season with the Hoosiers, but has been featured in the Sounders’ back line since joining the team. Zavaleta has appeared in three preseason matches as a defender for the Sounders, including playing the full 90 in the club’s preseason finale against Real Salt Lake in February.
Dylan Remick – The rookie defender out of Brown University was selected by the Sounders with the 35th overall pick in this year’s SuperDraft. Remick appeared in four preseason matches for the Sounders, including the team’s first preseason match Feb. 5th against the Timbers. While at Brown, Remick was a three-time first team All-Ivy League selection (2010-12), and also earned NSCAA second-team All-American honors in 2012, becoming the first player from Brown to earn All-American honors since current Chicago Fire midfielder Jeff Larentowicz.
