A Chance for Redemption, Baltimore Returns to PGE

Portland Timbers

(9-7-8, 35pts)

VS

Crystal Palace Baltimore

(6-12-6, 24pts)

Sunday August 28th
6pm @ PGE Park
TV on FSN
Radio on 95.5 The Game
Online Live @ PortlandTimbers.com

A team at the bottom of the league standings is coming to PGE Park to play the Timbers. For most, playing a non-playoff team would be a welcome advantage, but this isn't exactly the case for this year's Timbers squad.

Against the bottom three teams in the league Portland (9-7-8, 35pts) has an unmoving record of 3-3-1, including a record of 1-1-1 at home versus those same cellar dwelling clubs. Oddly enough the Timbers are 3-1-3 against the top 3 teams in the league - the bad habit of playing down to their competition level something that has seemingly developed over the course of the season.

Crystal Palace Baltimore (6-12-6, 24pts) in only their first year competing as a 2nd-tier level franchise, currently has the 3rd-worst record in the league, and will likely miss the playoffs. However, the Timbers are 0-2-0 against Baltimore this season with their first home-loss of the year coming to Crystal Palace back in May, followed by a 2-1 loss at Baltimore later that month. The path has been a bit bumpy this year whether home or away for Portland, sporting a record of 5-3-5 at home and 4-4-3 on the road thus far.

Lately, the season has started to take a more positive turn. The 4th place Timbers are currently riding a 4 game unbeaten streak and are 2-1-2 so far in the month of August. Portland's moment of redemption against Baltimore will likely hinge on their ability to score goals, something the team has struggled with all year. Fortunately, Baltimore's defense hasn't provided much resistance, conceding 33 goals this year (only Miami has been scored on more this season). Crystal Palace is coming off back-to-back blowout losses, falling to Rochester 2-0 before losing to Monreal 5-0 last week at home.

With 6 games remaining in the year, a strong finish would be useful in the Timber's attempt to build confidence and momentum heading into the playoffs. Portland will have to incorporate new players into the system quickly however, as the starting combination of recent signing Ibad Muhamadu and forward Bright Dike will only see its 4th pairing, and midfielder Kalif Alhassa will likely see his first action sometime this week. Without a doubt, its been a somewhat disappointing 2010 season and many questions have arisen. What's been going on exactly? Has the team been effected by the raised expectations and pressure from the fans and media? Or has luck simply not been on the Timber's side? Erase a few costly mistakes and turn a few of those draws into wins and would everyone view this season under a different light?

How Portland finishes these last 6 games will go a long way towards answering those questions. And an emphatic victory against a team that the Timbers are supposed to beat should be pretty helpful as well.