PORTLAND, Ore. – After playing three road matches over an 11-day span, T2 return home to play their first match of the season at Providence Park, facing Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday, May 7; kickoff is set for 5 p.m. (Pacific).
The match on Saturday marks the first of two games scheduled between T2 and Monarchs SLC, as both teams are set to meet again Aug. 17 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Last season, T2 posted an undefeated 1-0-2 record against Real, securing a 3-1 win in the club’s inaugural USL match at Merlo Field on March 29 and capping the season series with two 1-1 draws at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 8 and May 16.
T2 (2-4-1, 7pts) enter this week’s home contest looking to build on their recent road success, after earning a win and a draw over the last two games of their recent road swing. Following a 2-0 win at Tulsa on April 23, T2 most recently earned a 1-1 draw against Arizona United SC at Peoria Sports Complex on April 30. During the match, midfielder Victor Arboleda scored the quickest goal in T2 history after 41 seconds, his first career tally for Portland. Defender Marco Farfan earned USL Team of the Week honors for Week Six after making his seventh consecutive start of the season in the draw with Arizona.
With Arboleda’s goal against Arizona United SC, five different players have scored for T2, with Nick Besler, Dylan Damraoui, Kharlton Belmar and Andre Lewis each recording goals through the club’s first seven games.
Returning to USL action after a week off, Real Monarchs SLC (2-2-2, 8pts) come into Saturday’s match following a scoreless draw against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on April 26. After earning seven points in their first three matches of the 2016 USL season, Monarchs SLC are winless in their last three games, falling to Arizona United SC 1-0 on April 15 and Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 1-0 on April 23. Real forward Maikon Orellana, who recorded a goal and an assist against LA Galaxy II on April 2, leads the team in points with three goals and an assist on the season.
Single-game tickets for T2 matches are available at the Providence Park box office, online at www.timbers2.com, and on game day at the venue box office. Additionally, Saturday’s match will be available via a live, high-definition web stream at www.timbers2.com.
Next week, T2 travel to face Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Friday, May 13, at Switchbacks Stadium; kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (Pacific).
