Photo Credit: Oklahoma City Energy FC
Portland Timbers 2 versus Sacramento Republic FC
May 5, 5:30PM PST/7:30PM CST/8:30PM EST, ESPN +
Hoping to build on Wednesday’s 2-0 win against Sacramento Republic FC, Portland Timbers 2 (4-3-1, 13pts) face a stingy Saint Louis FC (3-1-3, 12pts) defense on Saturday.
While STLFC may not seem as imposing as the teams atop the table, they are unbeaten in their last five and with three wins in that span. Their only loss of the season came in the second week against San Antonio FC.
St Louis’s defense has been stalwart all season, conceding multiple goals in a match only once, their 2-1 loss to San Antonio. They have held opponents to one goal or fewer in six matches, three being cleans, averaging less than one goal conceded per match.
Though their defense may be stifling, St Louis’s offense is less than inspiring. They have yet to score multiple goals in a game this season, eking out 1-0 victories and 1-1 draws. When chances have come, STLFC having taken them well. The attack is led by forward Kyle Grieg. Grieg has three goals on the year and from only five shots.
T2 should enter the match confident, following the 2-0 win against a formidable Sacramento Republic FC side. Against Sacramento, Portland showed their attacking ability, composure, as well as their ability to see out a match against a talented side searching for a goal. The previous match provided several standout performances. Two standouts were the usual suspects of goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh and midfielder Eryk Williamson.
McIntosh was not needed for much of the match, but when called upon came up with the requisite saves. Wednesday’s solid performance from the Portland keeper was merely another to add to the list. The former US youth international player has three clean sheets and 20 saves through six matches. He is routinely a nominee for the United Soccer League’s Save of the Week.
Make that ✌️ for @TimbersFC2!#PORvSAC pic.twitter.com/cweBClo3uS
— USL (@USL) May 3, 2018
After notching his first assist from a well took corner, Williamson is a player ascendant for T2. The 20-year-old has shown composure beyond his years in the center of the T2 midfield. Williamson has a passing accuracy of over 87 percent on the season and managed a passing accuracy of over 89 percent against Republic FC. Leading T2 in chances created with 10 and ranking high on several defensive categories, Williamson is emerging as a two-way dynamo for Portland’s USL side.
With the quick turnaround and forwards Jeremy Ebobisse and Darixon Vuelto missing the previous match due to injury, Head Coach Cameron Knowles will have some issues selecting a side. Perhaps forward Augustine Williams, with two goals and two assists on the season, will return to the lineup. Perhaps not. With the USL and especially affiliated sides there is level of uncertainty about the starting 11 until it is announced. As Heraclitus once said, All is Flux
Watch online on ESPN+, Saturday, 5:30 p.m. PST.
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