Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls Preseason Match Thread [5:30]

It is finally time to put 2016 behind us as the Portland Timbers kick off their 2017 preseason with tonight’s match against the New York Red Bulls. With plenty of players in camp and only four days of training under their belts, expect short shifts for everybody and plenty of rust across the board.

Previews

Match Preview: “First and foremost will be the pairing of Guzman and Chara. Timbers fans know just how important a well functioning midfield tandem is to this team and if Guzman and Chara have an immediate chemistry then things are certainly looking up for the Timbers. Moreover, how Chara and Guzman play off each other and link up with the rest of the team will go a long way toward determining the Timbers’ tactical approach to 2017.”

Preview Interview: “The team has an almost proud history of jettisoning fan favorites in sub-optimal ways, and the latest RBNY leadership is as ruthless as any that have come before in that regard. So ruthless in fact we now have rumors that they have turned on each other. No one has heard from Ali Curtis since he abruptly quit the Draft about two weeks ago. So we're not entirely sure what is going on inside the front office.”

Match Information

Watch it on: Streaming on Timbers.com

When: Friday, January 27th at 5:30 p.m. PT

Where: Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, AZ

Portland Timbers: 7th place in the Western Conference in 2016

New York Red Bulls: 1st place in the Eastern Conference in 2016