Two big matches at home for the Timbers
Fresh from a Cascadia rivalry win over Vancouver to finish off a five-game away stretch that saw the Timbers go 3-1-1, the Portland Timbers return home for two key Western Conference battles this week.
The first comes Wednesday as Portland hosts the Colorado Rapids at Providence Park (7pm PT, TICKETS, ROOT SPORTS). In a matchup of two red hot teams, Colorado is currently in third place in the conference and unbeaten in eight matches but Portland has put up three shutout wins in a row.
Portland then makes a quick turn to take on LAFC on Sunday at home (4:30pm PT, TICKETS, FS1). With Wednesday’s results still to occur, the Black and Gold are currently in eighth place out of the playoff picture but only three points behind the Timbers.
With the race for the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs heating up, these are two big games coming up for Portland.
International Duty
The Thorns, meanwhile, have a bit of an international break with six different players heading off to their national teams this week while Portland won’t play a match until traveling to face the Chicago Red Stars on Sept. 25 (5pm PT, Paramount+).
Crystal Dunn, Lindsey Horan, Sophia Smith, Becky Sauerbrunn and the USWNT will take on Paraguay on Thursday, Sept. 16 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio (4:30pm PT, ESPN2) and then again on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at TQL Stadium (4:30pm PT, FS1 & TUDN).
Natalia Kuikka heads to Finland for a 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier against Slovakia on Sept. 21 at Veritas Stadion in Turku, Finland (8:15am PT).
Rocky RodrÃguez is in Costa Rica for two friendlies against Panama at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose on Sept. 18 (4pm PT) and Sept 21 (6pm PT).
A look back at 2021 Stand Together Week
Timbers and Thorns players joined staff and volunteers all last week at volunteer projects across the city as part of the 10th annual Stand Together Week.
ICYMI: The Thorns Show talks with Bella Bixby
Thorns goalkeeper chatted with Ann Schatz in the latest episode of The Thorns Show last week covering her recovery from an injury last year to her progression to being a starter this season. Watch the full episode here:
This Week in PTFC History: Some other triumphs over Vancouver
Back in the USL era of the Portland Timbers, September meant playoff time and, in this case, a one day rest between two-legged playoff matchups.
On Sept. 14, 2007, in Burnaby, B.C., the Timbers opened the first round of the 2007 USL playoffs with a 1-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps at Swangard Stadium.
However, just two days later, on Sept. 16, 2007, Portland eliminated the defending-champion Whitecaps from the playoffs with a 3-0 win in the final leg of the first round of the playoffs. Defender Justin Thompson recorded a goal and an assist in the contest played before 8,522 at then-PGE Park. Midfielder Andrew Gregor scored the series clincher and forward Jaime Ambriz tacked on another goal for the 3-0 win. With the 3-1 aggregate series win, the Timbers moved on to the USL First Division semifinals for the first time in modern-franchise history.
