Match Day: Timbers at New England Revolution

Timbers at New England Revolution

When, where: 4:30 p.m. today at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.

TV: KPTV Fox 12. Radio: 95.5 FM.

Viewing party: The Timbers official viewing party for this game is at Irish Town Bar and Grill, in Vancouver.

Probable Timbers starters

Forwards: Kenny Cooper, Jorge Perlaza.

Midfielders: Jeremy Hall, Jack Jewsbury, Peter Lowry, Sal Zizzo (Ryan Pore if Zizzo not healthy).

Defenders: Rodney Wallace, Kevin Goldthwaite, Eric Brunner, Steve Purdy.

Goalkeeper: Jake Gleeson.

ABOUT NEW ENGLAND

One of the original MLS teams, the Revolution are owned by the Kraft family that owns the New England Patriots. The Revolution share Gillette Stadium with the NFL team. They have reached the MLS Cup final four times but never won it.

THE MATCHUP

Hard road: The Timbers (0-2 in MLS) played in Toronto last Saturday, won a US Open Cup qualifier in Portland on Tuesday, and flew east on Thursday for today’s game. Portland coach John Spencer downplayed the impact of the schedule. He said that his players are young, and so is the season, therefore the travel is no excuse for a poor effort.

Watch for: Which team has the better of it in the center of the park. The Timbers will be challenged to possess the ball enough to build a consistent attack against a team that likes to play with five midfielders.

Player to watch: Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph (No. 21)is one of the top veteran midfielders in MLS. He has been involved with all three New England goals this season, with two goals, one assist.

Spencer says: “In Major League Soccer, no matter the opponent, you’re always going to get one or two chances to score. The forwards have to be on their toes, and be ready for those chances when they come.”

Notable: Rookie Darlington Nagbe is on the trip. His first full practice with the team since recovering from sports hernia surgery was on Monday. Spencer said Nagbe could see some action if needed to provide offense. … New England opened with a 1-1 draw with the Galaxy in Los Angeles, then defeated D.C. United 2-1 at home. … Rookie Jake Gleeson, forced into action because of injuries to Troy Perkins and Adin Brown, earned MLS save of the week in online fan voting for his breakaway save against Toronto’s Javier Martina. … New England coach Steve Nicol has 128 MLS career victories. … The temperature is forecast to be in the upper 30s at kickoff.