The Biggest Game Ever: Portland Timbers face Miami FC Blues

By: Bob Kellett | September 4th, 2008

Remember all the piss poor performances and squandered points at home earlier this season? The result is this game. The Portland Timbers face Miami FC Thursday evening at PGE Park in a game that basically is a must win for both sides. Portland and Miami are part of a five-team group competing for the seventh and final USL First Division playoff spot. Sure, either team could conceivably lose this game and still manage to qualify, but with three of four game left on the road after this one, the Timbers almost certainly need to pick up the full three points.

Three points is something that they have not been able to earn against the Blues this season. After drawing 0-0 in Miami, the Timbers lost 2-0 at home in late May in one of their more disappointing performances of a what has been an utterly disappointing season. Both teams have a combined 12 wins from 51 games this season so this isn’t exactly the Champions League final, but in our little neck of the soccer world this is all we have so Thursday night’s contest is not only blinking light HUGE, it is double blinking light EPIC. Or something like that.

Portland v Miami All Time
At PGE Park: 1-2-0
At Miami: 1-1-1
Overall: 2-3-1

Being Gavin Wilkinson
Mate, I love talking to the press. There’s nothing more exciting than having journalist pick my brain for soccer knowledge. That’s why I was so eager to throw on a suit, skip out of training, and hype Portland’s MLS chances at the press conference on Wednesday. What’s that you say? If Portland gets an MLS team I won’t have a job? Not even as the water boy? Shit, I might not even have a job if we lose to Miami. Here’s my job security:

Harrison
S. Thompson J. Thompson Dunn Higgins
Olum Brown Poltl Griffin
Alvarez Jordan*

* Surely a junior varsity coach like Bruce Arena won’t steal away my only real scoring threat in what is the biggest game in the hemisphere this evening.

Guess the attendance win no prize
The crowd will be somewhere between 1 and 19,000.

Match Previews

Timbers: Win or else (Portland Tribune)

Miami FC goes on the road; faces two tough opponents on Thursday and Saturday (Miami FC)

Timbers return to action Thursday against Miami (Portland Timbers)

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