USL MATCH PREVIEW | Portland Timbers 2 at Real Monarchs SLC | Sept. 14, 2019 - 12 noon PT

With seven matches remaining in the USL Championship campaign, T2 travel to face Real Monarchs SLC at Zion’s Bank Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14. Beginning at 12 noon (Pacific), Saturday’s match will feature a live stream on ESPN+.

2019 season at a glance
T2 (9-10-8, 35pts) sit in 12th place in the Western Conference standings, two points behind eighth-place Real Monarchs SLC. Portland is coming off a 2-1 loss at home to Orange County SC on Sept. 7. Foster Langsdorf scored his seventh goal of the season in the loss to Orange County. Ryan Sierakowski ranks third on the club with six goals scored, while Brayan Hurtado and Todd Wharton rank tied for fourth (5). Eryk Williamson leads the team and ranks tied for fifth in the league with seven assists. 

T2 on the road
In 14 road matches played during the 2019 USL Championship campaign, T2 hold a record 5-5-4. Portland’s five wins on the road ranks tied for fourth in the Western Conference in 2019. Notably, T2 have scored 28 goals on the road, which ranks second in the league behind only Phoenix Rising FC (30). Brayan Hurtado has scored four of his five goals this season on the road, while Erik Williamson has scored all three of his goals in 2019 in road matches. 

T2 against Real Monarchs SLC
Saturday’s match marks the 12th meeting all-time between T2 and Real Monarchs SLC, with the series tied at 4-4-3. In five matches played in Utah, T2 are 0-3-2 against Real Monarchs dating back to April 8, 2015. In the last meeting between the two clubs, Portland earned a 2-1 win over Real Monarchs at Providence Park on May 29, 2019 behind goals from Dairon Asprilla and Modou Jadama.

Timbers Academy on display 
Six Timbers Academy products appeared in the 3-1 win against Reno 1868 FC on Aug. 31. Carlos Anguiano made his 14th start for T2, while Gio Calixtro logged his 19th appearance of the season. Timbers Academy midfielder Dyson Clapier (17 yrs., 3 months, 16 days) made his T2 debut, becoming the third-youngest player in team history to start a match for the club. Timbers Academy defender Aldair Sanchez (17 yrs., 1 month, 25 days) became the fourth-youngest player to make an appearance for T2, logging 10 minutes off the bench on his debut. Caleb Kiner logged his fourth consecutive start dating back to Aug. 11. Notably, Timbers Academy midfielder Gerardo Durán (15 yrs, 10 months) became the youngest player to appear in a match for T2, logging 28 minutes as a second-half substitute on his debut. 

T2 2019 Team Leaders
Goals: Dairon Asprilla, Foster Langsdorf (7)
Assists: Eryk Williamson (7)
Chances Created: Eryk Williamson, Todd Wharton (33)
Shutouts: Aljaz Ivacic, Jake Leeker (1)
Saves: Jake Leeker (44)

Scouting Real Monarchs SLC
Real Monarchs (10-9-7, 37pts) enter Saturday’s match following a 3-1 loss to LA Galaxy II on the road on Sept 7, which extended five-game winless streak dating back to Aug. 16. Real Monarchs sit in eighth place in the Western Conference standings, two points ahead of 12th place T2. Douglas Martínez leads the team with 11 goals and six assists in 19 appearances this season. Maikel Change ranks first on the team with 44 chances created in 26 appearances, while goalkeeper David Ochoa, who played in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup with the United States, leads the team with 46 saves in 13 appearances.

Real Monarchs SLC head coach: Jámison Olave

Real Monarchs SLC 2019 Team Leaders
Goals: Douglas Martínez (11)
Assists: Douglas Martínez (6)
Chances Created: Maikel Chang (44)
Shutouts: David Ochoa, Andrew Putna (3)
Saves: David Ochoa (46)