Brent Richards (right) makes his return to Portland on Saturday night when Reno 1868 FC take on T2
T2 versus Reno 1868 FC
7:00 PST ESPN +
A quick turnaround for Portland Timbers 2 (3-2-1, 10pts), who look to continue their two-match winning streak, Saturday, against winless Reno 1868 FC (0-3-1, 1pts) at Merlo Field.
T2 played the first of the three home games, Wednesday, beating Rio Grande Valley FC 3-2. Portland Timbers players on loan found plenty of success for the United Soccer League side. All three goal scorers were on loan from the first team: forwards Jeremy Ebobisse and Foster Langsdorf, and winger Jack Barmby. Barmby came on as a second half substitute injecting a dangerous T2 lineup with precision and creativity in the final third.
With limited rest between matches and an abundance of first team players available, T2 Head Coach Cameron Knowles will have a challenge selecting his side. Wednesday’s match against RGVFC saw T2 fixtures Augustine Williams and Andre Lewis resigned to the bench. Williams, a forward, has two goals and two assists on the season and is likely to return to the lineup. How Knowles fits him in remains a question with Ebobisse and Langsdorf coming into form, and recent arrival Darixon Vuelto looking to break into the lineup as well. Lewis leads the team with nine chances created from his center midfield spot. Having paired with both Eryk Williamson and Renzo Zambrano, the Jamaican international could replace either player in the center of the pitch.
Winless with only four goals scored, Reno’s season has not begun the way they hoped. Their early woes are not limited to the attack. Through four matches Reno have conceded ten goals and lead the league in own goals with two. Reno’s defensive struggles will be further complicated with stalwart center back Brenton Griffiths suspended after receiving a red card in the previous match for his involvement in a late-match dustup.
Griffiths ejection only added insult to injury as Reno trailed Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 4-0 at the time. Reno started the match on the wrong foot, conceding an own goal early, and Colorado Springs never looked back. The Switchbacks scored again in the first half and put the game well out of reach in the 47th minute when they scored their third, inevitably adding their fourth and final goal in the 67th minute. Reno looked outclassed in a match against an opponent who enter the match in equal poor form. Despite the lackluster performance, Reno’s attack managed 18 shots, though only six were on target.
The Timbers Army will be sure to give a warm welcome to Reno defender Brent Richards. A Portland native and Timbers U-23 standout, Richards was signed as the Portland Timbers’ first Homegrown Player in 2012 and started twice in six appearances for the senior side. His promising career was derailed by knee injuries, taking a two-year hiatus from playing before signing with T2 in 2015, where he was a fan favorite during his two season. Since joining Reno in 2017 Richards has been a fixture in their starting XI.
Watch live at Merlo Field Saturday, 7:00 p.m. PST, or stream online on ESPN+.
T2
USL
