7 p.m. vs. Portland Timbers • Ch. 29, 1500-AM
Loons hit a pivotal stretch
Preview: A recent run of poor form has put United back at the bottom of the league table at 4-9-2 with Western Conference challenger Portland Timbers (7-6-3) visiting for a rematch of the season opener. In Portland for United's first MLS match ever, the Loons' late collapse gave Portland a 5-1 victory and set Minnesota off to the worst start in league history. This time around, United is looking to rebound from three consecutive shutouts. United coach Adrian Heath called this point in the season a "pivotal" stretch, with wins or draws in the next two matches going a long way to jumble up the standings.
Quote: "[Portland has] got good players. … It doesn't get easy for us, but the one thing I do know is, our last two or three performances have been good at home. We beat Orlando. Played really well, probably one of our best performances, against the Galaxy. The game before that, we beat Sporting. So we're more than a match for anybody at home." — United coach Adrian Heath
Injuries: M Bernardo Anor (leg), D Thomas de Villardi (Achilles' tendon), D Vadim Demidov (knee), D Joe Greenspan (concussion), D Marc Burch (groin), M Johan Venegas (sciatica) and M Ismaila Jome (ankle) are out for United. For Portland, D Gbenga Arokoyo (Achilles' tendon), M Jack Barmby (ankle), D Liam Ridgewell (quadriceps) are out while D Chance Myers (hamstring) is questionable.
Megan Ryan
