Photo Credit: Oklahoma City Energy FC
Portland Timbers 2 (3-3-1, 10pts) face second in the West Sacramento Republic FC (4-0-3, 15pts), Wednesday, at Providence Park.
Having played their first two home matches of 2018 at Merlo Field, T2 move across the river to Providence Park, home of Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers. Not an unfamiliar site, T2 played all their 2017 home matches at Providence Park. Nine regular season matches and a friendly against Bundesliga 2’s FC St. Pauli will be played there in 2018.
Sacramento have yet to lose on the season and are second in the Western Conference. They enter the contest with two wins and three draws in their last five matches.
Against Tulsa Roughnecks FC, in their previous match, Sacramento conceded in the 2nd minute but were able to salvage a draw late, when midfielder Luis Espino scored in the 89th minute. Former T2 talisman Villyan Bijev tallied the assist.
Bijev was a star player for T2, scoring 15 goals and recording 10 assists in less than two seasons. In 2016, he led the United Soccer League in assists with ten and earned USL All-League First Team honors. He has one goal and two assists for Republic FC in 2018.
While Bijev will be a recognizable face to T2 supporters, forward Cameron Iwasa will be the real attacking threat for Republic FC. Iwasa has three goals and two assists on the year. This is Iwasa’s second time with Sacramento. During his first spell, in 2016, he scored 12 goals for the side. He played so well that Sporting Kansas City offered him a first team contract in 2017. He never featured for the MLS side
T2 should be well rested, having not played since their April 22nd loss to Reno 1868 FC, and looking to get back to their winning ways.
Against Reno, Portland conceded twice in the second half, squandering their first half lead. Winger Victor Arboleda scored T2’s lone goal in their previous match. The goal was a team leading third on the year for Arboleda, who is among a contingent of first team players excelling on loan for the USL side.
Goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh, on loan from the first team, has been solid for T2. McIntosh has two clean sheets on the year and has routinely been called upon for game saving, athletic saves. Unfortunately, McIntosh has allowed eight goals in five matches.
On loan from the Timbers, as well, are forwards Jeremy Ebobisse and Foster Langsdorf. Both forwards have two goals on the year and have been quite the complimentary duo when paired up top. Ebobisse provides a strong body centrally and keen passing, while Langsdorf has a knack for finding space in the box and a nose for goal.
Loanees aren’t the only attackers playing well for T2. Forward Augustine Williams has two goals and two assists on the year. With the emergence of Langsdorf, however, Williams has found himself relegated to the bench, and with the arrival of Darixon Vuelto minutes may be in even shorter supply. How Head Coach Cameron Knowles deals with this abundance of in-form remains a question, but with two matches this week, it may be more a boon than a burden.
Watch live at Providence Park Wednesday, 7 p.m. PST, or stream online on ESPN+.
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