The weather couldn’t be better for the post-season exhibition match between the Portland Timbers and Toronto FC tonight at PGE Park.
But on this unseasonably warm day one member of the Timbers may receive a cold welcome from the fans. Gavin Wilkinson has filled some post season holes in the roster with three guest players: former U of P Pilot Miguel Guante of Miami FC and Kenji Treschuk and Roger Levesque of the Seattle Sounders. Roger Levesque has been a thorn in the side of the Timbers the last few years, in addition to having a reputation for dirty play. Check out the Official Why We Hate Roger Levesque thread at the SoccerCityUSA.com message board for all the Roger Levesque execration you can handle.
Never the less, kickoff is at 5pm.
Some pregame coverage:
The Offside Rules – Toronto’s Last Dance of the Year in Portland
All you Portland and Toronto players & fans get one last shot at footie glory before the long, cold winter. Toronto visits PGE Park tonight in a rare post-season friendly. Hopefully for Toronto’s sake they get a better reception than those other Canadians that frequent the city.
The Oregonian – Portland takes MLS exam
Separate the handful of big-money, marquee winners. Swap the rest of the players on a Major League Soccer roster with Portland Timbers starters or other players from the First Division of the United Soccer Leagues.
You wouldn’t notice much difference.
The Columbian – Timbers players get one more chance to make impression
For players with both Toronto, which just finished its first season in Major League Soccer, and Portland, the exhibition match is an opportunity to make a last impression on coaches who are looking to upgrade their rosters.
The Columbian also adds its 2 cents to the MLS to Portland discussion: Facilities main obstacle for an MLS Portland team
Bottom line: Garber said the MLS is interested in Portland, but only if PGE Park is refurbished to make it a first-class soccer facility.
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