The Portland Timbers U-23s have successfully moved on to the next stage of the U.S. Open Cup after defeating the Sacramento Gold 3-2.

The Portland Timbers U-23s open the US Open Cup Tuesday evening before kicking off the PDL regular season with games on Thursday and Saturday.

The Portland Timbers junior squad will take on the Sacramento Gold in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup.

The Portland Timbers U-23 squad continues to grow ahead of the 2013 PDL season.

The PDL side will be rejoined by some former players, as well as welcome a new face.

A select group of players from the Portland Timbers Academy trained with the first team for the last two weeks. Come in and find out what they have been up to and what it has to do with the French.

After two weeks off of training and over a month without a game, the Portland Timbers Academy teams returned to action last weekend with a pair of games in San Jose against the De Anza Force and San Jose Breakers.

Seven of the Portland Timbers' academy players have signed letters of intent to join various Division 1 universities, including Oregon State and University of Washington.

The Portland Timbers Academy teams traveled to Surrey, BC to take on Vancouver's academy teams.

Halfway through its first year of existence the Portland Timbers youth academy is just starting to establish itself on the national stage. We take a look at the aims of the academy in the 2012-13 season and into the future.