Alvas Powell Called Up by Jamaica; Will Miss Vancouver Match

The Portland Timbers will be without Alvas Powell for this Saturday's upcoming away match against the Vancouver Whtiecaps due to a call up by the Jamaican national team for matches against Venezuela and Cuba in the upcoming FIFA international dates. The Timbers are required to release their energetic right back for the matches, despite his call up coming while the Timbers are particularly injury-stricken.

Powell, 20, already has 13 caps for Jamaica, debuting as a 17-year-old for the Reggae Boyz.

The call up leaves the Timbers in a sticky situation with usual second-string right back Jack Jewsbury already lining up at holding midfielder alongside Diego Chara due to injuries to Will Johnson and Ben Zemanski.

With some change in personnel made necessary there are two clear choices for the Timbers in this situation: the team could bring Jewsbury back to right back and insert second-year player Geroge Fochive into the center of the pitch for his second appearance as a professional; or the Timbers could give Taylor Peay, another second-year man, a look at right back. Whichever player gets the start will need to be sharp as they face off against the pacy and talented Kakuta Manneh.

Those are not the only choices for the Timbers, Jeanderson or Jorge Villafana could switch over to the right wing, but they look like the most likely possibilities.

What change would you make?