Know Your Opponent: Portland Timbers 2

With a home playoff game on the line, Republic FC prepare to host Portland Timbers 2 in a rematch of their game in early May with the Cascadia team.

Before Saturday’s match, reacquaint yourself with Portland Timbers 2

KEY PLAYERS

Foster Langsdorf has quickly elevated through the ranks this season, proving one of the league’s best goal scorers with 14 in his 26 games played. The 14 conversions are good for 9th-best in the league, and leads his team in minutes per goal at 144.4 (minimum 300 minutes). The 22-year-old striker also leads his team in shots (50), shots on goal (30) aerial duels (187) and aerial duels won (79). The native Portlander, Langsdorf has accumulated numerous USL Team of the Week nominations during the 2018 season and was one of five players nominated for USL Player of the Month for the month of July, during which he scored a goal every 71.75 minutes.

While Marvin Loría’s six goals place him tied for third on the team in scoring this season, it’s been the Costa Rican’s playmaking ability that has really set him apart from others on the T2 squad. In 27 games played (22 starts), Loría has emerged as Portland’s premier playmaker with seven assists and 52 chances created. The statistical marks each rank within USL’s top 15 in their respective categories. The 21-year old forward has also connected for 689 passes on the year at a success rate of 82.3 percent.

2018 SEASON So Far

Since the last time they met, Portland has played to a 12-8-3 record against numerous opponents. Their best stretch has come as of late with T2 picking up a pair of three-game winning streaks in their past eight games, with their sole loss coming against first-place Orange County SC back on August 22. After an eight-game skid from June 2 to July 22 saw T2 lose six matches and fall in the Western Conference standings, the team has shifted gears, riding a recent hot streak which has proved instrumental in Portland’s ascent up the ladder. T2’s strongest win of the season came during their match with Los Dos on May 18, as Foster Langsdorf’s hat trick led Portland to a 7-3 blowout victory at Providence Park.

Home VS Away Splits

T2 has proven to be one of the better road teams in the USL this season, with nearly half of their points collected coming away from Providence Park (7-4-4, 25 points). Portland has racked up nine wins at home (9-7-0, 27 points) this season.

Last Time they Met

T2 and the Indomitable Club last met on May 2 for a mid-week matchup at Providence Park in Portland. The game, which marked Sacramento’s first loss of the season, ended with a final line of 2-0, as Timbers 2 struck for a pair of goals in the first half of the match. The first goal came via Dairon Asprilla, who pounced on a loose ball in the box which Republic FC failed to clear off the back line. Portland’s second goal of the night came in the 38th minute as Modou Jadama headed a cross into the box by Eryk Williamson’s into the ground and past goalkeeper Josh Cohen.