Game Preview: Rowdy Time for Timbers

Portland Timbers

VSTampa Bay Rowdies

Saturday, July 31ist
4:30pm @ George Steinbrenner Field
Online @ PortlandTimbers.com
Radio on 95.5 The Game

This is our second and last regular season match with Tampa Bay. Our first battle with the Rowdies was June 27th, when Dike scored the only goal of the game. That was game 2 of the recent 5 game unbeaten streak, which St. Louis just snapped. The St. Louis match is done and hopefully was just a hiccup that we can avenge when we return to STL on August 14th. Now back to the current road trip, getting 3 points in Tampa Bay will not be easy. Tampa has a 3-2-3 record at home and this is their fourth consecutive match at home.

Tampa Bay is led by the two Aarons, King and Wheeler. We missed Wheeler the first time around due to yellow card accumulation. King, a former Charleston Battery player, has not slowed down and he leads the team with 5 goals. King has played in all 17 matches this season, but has only started 3. The Timbers will need to be on the look out for him, because he leads the team in overall points with 8.

The Rowdies recently signed two Whitecap midfielders, Ricardo Sánchez and Jonathan Steele. Both are solid proven players, who could help ignite the Rowdies offense.

The Rowdies and the Timbers have beef, 35 year old beef, that goes back to the Timbers inaugural season, when the Rowdies defeated the Timbers in the 1975 Soccer Bowl. This may be our last chance to play in Tampa Bay for a very long time, as we move to MLS and Tampa learns the ropes of D-2.

Video Links
Video highlights - Timbers v Rowdies 6/27
Video highlights - Rowdies v Islanders 7/15
Stadium Tour - Check out the Rowdies stadium with Saharah
Rowdies Commercial - circa mid 70's