PTFC has three matches this week, with the Timbers finishing up their CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 tie against C.D. Marathón at Providence Park (5pm PT, FS1) before then playing in their MLS opener against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah (7pm PT, ROOT SPORTS).
After a win in their season debut, Portland Thorns FC heads to Illinois for their first away match of 2021 when they take on the Chicago Red Stars on Thursday (4:30pm PT, Paramount+) at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. The Thorns are trying to win their first two matches of the year for the second time in club history.
What's on tap
The Thorns look to expand their lead in the West Division of the 2021 Challenge Cup when they face the Red Stars. Chicago opened their Cup campaign with a 0-0 road draw against the Houston Dash.
Welcome Back
With a 2-2 draw in Honduras in the first leg of their series with C.D. Marathón, the Timbers return home looking to advance to the quarterfinals of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League for the first time. The match is the first home game of the season for the Timbers and the first Timbers home SCCL game since 2016.
Timbers Opponent Connections
The Timbers will take on the Whitecaps in Rio Tinto Stadium in their season opener on Sunday night. The match will be the 97th game between the clubs but it will be the first time the fixture has ever been held outside of Cascadia.
Thorns Opponent Connections
The Thorns and Red Stars have been playing each other since April 27, 2013 when Portland beat hosts Chicago, 2-0, in front of 2,855 fans in NWSL's inaugural season. No teams have more NWSL playoff appearances than the Thorns (six) and Red Stars (five).
#StatMan randomness
- In Thorns FC's last match, defender Madison Pogarch led the club in passes, crosses, touches, tackles, and interceptions.
- The Timbers are unbeaten all-time in home SCCL matches. At Providence Park, Portland is 3-0-1 in SCCL with 13 goals scored and just four goals conceded.
- Between the Thorns and Timbers, PTFC has played 10 matches at SeatGeek Stadium with just one loss. Portland's two clubs have a combined record of 3-1-6 in Bridgeview.
- Sunday's match will be the 14th time in Timbers all-era history that the club has opened league play on the road. It is the first time Portland has ever started their league campaign in Utah but the fifth time they have started a season against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Five numbers to know
5Dating back to 2020, the Thorns are unbeaten in their last five matches, recording fours wins and a draw between the 2020 Fall Series and 2021 Challenge Cup. Portland has just one loss in its last 10 competitive matches (5-1-4).
10 Wednesday marks the 10-year anniversary of the Timbers' first MLS home game. Portland defeated the Chicago Fire, 4-2, on April 14, 2011, in front a crowd of 18,627.
537Thorns goalkeeper Adrianna Franch returned to action with two saves in Friday's win over KC NWSL. It was Franch's first appearance for the Thorns since the 2019 season, a span of 537 days between matches.
100 In last Tuesday's match against Marathón, defender Larrys Mabiala played in his 100th match for the Timbers in all competitions. Mabiala, who is now in his fifth season with the Timbers, is the second centerback in Portland's MLS era to hit the century mark for matches played, joining Liam Ridgewell.
10GWith her goal in Thorns FC's season opener, Rocky RodrÃguez has now scored 10 goals in NWSL competitions in six seasons in the league. The second overall pick in the 2016 NWSL Draft, RodrÃguez is in her second season with Portland.
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