Portland Timbers Off-Season Report | Pre-Season Results, Player Signings, Events
February 22, 2012 — PDXPIPELINE
By Will Conwell
Pre-season Resumes In Portland
After spending two weeks in Carson, CA, the Timbers have returned to Portland to finish their preseason preparations. With three weeks and three preseason games remaining before the Timbers kick off the season, there are still many preparations left to be made before the season. Trialists Joe Bendick, Ryan Kawoluk, and Sebastian Rincon are still with the team and look likely to be signed while the rest of the team works toward game fitness.
Timbers Sign Songo’o
Franck Songo’o, a 24 year-old Cameroonian wide midfielder, signed with the Timbers after joining the team at the beginning of the preseason. Songo’o, who spent time in the Barcelona youth system with players like three time FIFA World Player of the Year Leo Messi, assisted on four of the Timbers eight preseason goals. In the Timbers preseason Songo’o has seen time primarily as a left midfielder, a position that was primarily held by Kalif Alhassan and Darlington Nagbe last year.
Timbers Win Final Pre-Season Game in LA
Before departing Carson, last Wednesday the Timbers defeated the Chicago Fire in a preseason match-up. Portland outscored Chicago 2-0 over the course of 120 minutes with goals scored by Eric Alexander and and Jorge Perlaza. Franck Songo’o assisted on both goals, dribbling into the box before squaring the ball across the mouth of the goal in both instances. The game was broken into 60 minute halves that saw the Timbers reserves face off against the Fire first team in the first half and the Fire reserves face the Timbers first team in the second.
Boyd Arrives In Portland
The Portland Timbers newest designated player, Kris Boyd, arrived in Portland on Monday after receiving his visa earlier this week. Boyd, a Scottish forward who holds the record for goals scored in the Sottish Premier League, will be officially announced this morning. With the Timbers group of forwards looking dangerously thin after possibly season ending injuries to Eddie Johnson and Jose Adolfo Valencia, the finalization of Boyd’s visa and his arrival in town will be a serious relief to the Timbers and their fans.
Preseason Results
2/7 - Portland Timbers 4 – 1 Los Angeles Galaxy
2/10 - Portland Timbers 0 – 0 Montreal Impact
2/12 - Portland Timbers 2 – 0 Houston Dynamo
2/15 - Portland Timbers 2 – 0 Chicago Fire
Upcoming Events
2/27 Preseason - Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes
3/1 Preseason - Timbers vs. Chivas USA
3/4 Preseason - Timbers vs. AIK
3/12 Season Opener vs. Philadelphia Union on ESPN2
Will Conwell
Will Conwell is an aspiring novelist who spends his free time unloading trucks in warehouses. His passions in life are soccer, beer, and writing, which he has found are best enjoyed in concert. Will can be contacted at william.conwell@gmail.com or on twitter at TimbersPipeline.
