VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC vs PORTLAND TIMBERS
BC PLACE, Vancouver, B.C.
March 28, 2015 (WEEK 4, MLS Game #23)
5 p.m. PT (TSN1; ROOT-NW)
The battle for the Cascadia Cup is rejoined anew as Vancouver Whitecaps FC play host to the Portland Timbers on Saturday afternoon at BC Place. Whitecaps FC – who have never defeated the Timbers at home – return to B.C. off a perfect two-game road swing that ended with a last-gasp 1-0 win at Orlando City SC. The Timbers have played to draws in each of their three matches this season, last a scoreless result at Sporting Kansas City last weekend.
- Octavio Rivero extended his goalscoring streak to three games to start his MLS career in dramatic fashion, netting the game’s only tally late in stoppage time to give Whitecaps FC a second consecutive victory, against Orlando City SC on Saturday evening.
- The Timbers reached their third draw in as many matches to open the new season, playing to a scoreless draw for a second time this year in their match Saturday evening at Sporting Kansas City.
- Whitecaps FC have won just once in 11 all-time MLS meetings between the teams, that victory coming June 1 at Providence Park, a wild 4-3 victory.
- The Timbers have won three of five meetings all-time at BC Place, including a 3-0 victory last Aug. 30 in the only meeting of the year in Vancouver.
REFEREE: Allen Chapman. AR1 (bench): Mike Kampmeinert; AR2 (opposite): Jeremy Hanson; 4th: Alejandro Mariscal
MLS Career: 52 games; FC/gm: 22.6; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 12; pens: 20
DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE (PDF)
SUSPENDED: VAN: Kekuta Manneh (through March 29); Diego Rodriguez (through April 5)
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: VAN: Russell Teibert (CAN; vs GUA 3/27, vs PUR 3/30); Darren Mattocks (JAM; vs VEN 3/27, vs CUB 3/30); Christian Dean (U.S. U-23) ... POR: none
CHECK OUT THE INJURY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
CHECK OUT THE DISCIPLINARY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
DESPITE THREE DRAWS IN THREE GAMES, TIMBERS SAY THERE'LL BE NO SLOW START THIS YEAR
'CAPS MORALES ACKNOWLEDGES DIFFICULT START TO 2015
'CAPS ROBINSON BELIEVES RIVERO CAN BE EVEN BETTER
