SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES AT PORTLAND TIMBERS
When/where: 7:30 p.m. today at Jeld-Wen Field, Portland.
TV: None.
Radio: FM 95.5 (AM 940 Spanish broadcast).
Open Cup play-in: Today’s winner advances to meet the Chicago Fire at a date and location to be determined. If the Timbers win tonight and then beat Chicago, they will be one of eight MLS teams among the final 16 in the Open Cup proper.
Why go: This is a chance for fans who do not have tickets for league games to see the Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field. Tickets remain because this match is not part of the season-ticket packages. Plus, there is no TV.
POTENTIAL TIMBERS LINEUP
This is the second of three games in seven days for the Timbers, so look for a number of changes from Saturday’s starting 11. Coach John Spencer said his lineup will be a game-time decision, based in part on how some of his regulars feel.
ABOUT SAN JOSE
The Earthquakes have lost three consecutive matches to drop to the bottom of the Western Conference of MLS. … One of the original MLS franchises, San Jose was known as the Clash for its first four seasons. The Earthquakes became the Houston Dynamo following the 2005 season The Quakes returned to MLS as an expansion team in 2008.
THE MATCHUP
Watch for: A lot of hunger. San Jose is coming off disappointing losses at home to Chivas USA and at Philadelphia. The Earthquakes don’t play again until May 11, so coach Frank Yallop might use most of his first-team players.
Portland, by contrast, returns to league play on Friday, so John Spencer figures to field a significantly different starting 11 than the unit that played in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Real Salt Lake.
Spencer on San Jose: “They’re going to come up here with the mentality that they need to get their season on track. We’re expecting a very, very difficult game.”
Seeking offense: San Jose has scored six goals in seven league games, but only two in its last four. Portland is coming off its first MLS shutout after struggling on defense in three previous matches.
NOTABLE
• Spencer said playing three games over seven days on the FieldTurf at Jeld-Wen Field isn’t any worse than doing the same schedule on grass.
“The surface is fantastic,” Spencer said following Monday’s training session at Jeld-Wen Field. “If it stays in this condition, I don’t think we’ll have a problem training or playing on it. You look at some surfaces, they become padded down and it becomes hard. This surface is in great condition. It plays very much like grass.”
• Injury report: Timbers — Out: FW Bright Dike (Achilles rupture); FW Eddie Johnson (Achilles tendinitis); FW Brian Umony (knee MCL sprain); Questionable: MF Peter Lowry (knee MCL strain); Probable: Probable: GK Adin Brown (hamstring strain); DF David Horst (ankle sprain) … San Jose — Out: Andre Luiz (L knee injury); Doubtful: Simon Dawkins (R/L lower leg compartment syndrome), Tim Ward (R hamstring strain); Probable: Joey Gjertsen (R groin strain), Scott Sealy (R hamstring strain).
FAN GUIDE
Tickets: Tickets remain for today’s match, which is not part of the season-ticket package. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster outlets or at Jeld-Wen Field.
Gates open: 90 minutes before kickoff for most fans.
Getting there: Parking is extremely limited near the stadium. MAX light rail runs extra trains on match days.
Radio coverage: 95.5 FM has one-hour pregame and postgame shows.
