Match Preview: T2 Host Energetic Oklahoma City

T2 brought home all three points. They went down to Austin, Texas and fought hard for a well earned 1-0 victory. It came at a cost though as Rennico Clarke is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Up next is a three match home stand that T2 will want to get all 9 points from if they want to be relevant in the chase for a playoff spot.

Portland Timbers 2

T2 (8-11-2, 26 pts) earned a 1-0 shutout victory in Texas last Saturday. A superb defensive performance from Rennico Clarke helped T2 earn the shutout and earned himself USL Team of the Week honors. And a powerful left footed strike from George Fochive secured the game's only goal and all three points for T2. It only bumped T2 up one spot in the tight Western Conference playoff race but all points matter and T2 is getting closer.

The victory did come with a cost though. It was confirmed that Rennico Clarke ended up tearing his ACL in the final seconds of the match and will miss the remainder of the season for T2. At training on Tuesday the 5th Rennico Clarke was spotted with a leg cast and crutches with Jay Vidovich confirming the injury with our own Will Conwell. So we should except Anthony Manning and Harrison Delbridge to start in central defense from this point forward. As long as both are healthy and not suspended.

Even with one player out for the rest of the season, T2 has gained a new addition. The Timbers first team acquired DC United homegrown forward Michael Seaton in exchange for an international slot for the remainder of 2015 as well as an undisclosed amount of targeted allocation money. Seaton was at the Timbers first team match last night so he is in town. And although nothing official has been announced, it seems likely that Seaton will spend his time continuing his development with T2. Making it unlikely for him to see first team minutes in 2015. Will we get to see Michael Seaton as early as tonight? Probably not, but next week's match would definitely seem likely.

Up next for T2 is a three match home stand, facing Oklahoma City tonight, followed by Whitecaps 2 and Tulsa Roughnecks.

Oklahoma City Energy FC

OKC Energy FC (9-5-7, 34 pts) come into town off a win over conference leaders LA Galaxy II. Oklahoma scored two first half goals and shutout Los Dos for a 2-0 victory at home on Tuesday night. Oklahoma City's Peter Toth scored his first career goal in the 19th minute and they extended their lead in the 35th minute through Sebastian Dalgaard. The Energy defense stayed organized and held off the Los Dos attack in the second half to earn the shutout.

When T2 faced Oklahoma at home, they were down a man for most of the match and ended up dropping a 2-0 result of their own. Oklahoma scored two goals in the second half of that match and made it very difficult for a 10-man T2 to get anything out of that game. The Energy only have a 1-4-5 record on the road so T2 should be cautiously optimistic. Every match, especially their home matches, are must win as T2 needs to take advantage of the home games to fight for a playoff spot.

After tonight's match, T2 will continue their home stand as they face Vancouver Whitecaps 2 next. That match will be Sunday, August 16th at Merlo Field with a 7pm kickoff.

Match Information

Watch it: Streamed live on Timbers2.com and embedded in our T2 match thread

Kickoff: Saturday, August 8th, 7:00pm pacific, at Merlo Field in Portland, Oregon

Portland Timbers 2: 8-11-2, 26pts, 9th place in the USL Western Conference

Oklahoma City Energy FC: 9-5-7, 34pts, 4th place in the USL Western Conference