Timbers training today was a short one ahead of their mid-afternoon match against the Chicago Fire tomorrow. Practice at the team's new training facility was briefly closed after warm-ups, but by the time it was opened again there were few players still on the pitch.

Injured players Jack Jewsbury and Futty Danso once again did not practice with the team, although I arrived after the warm-ups were completed soI could not say if they participated then.

The Timbers held a full practice today after yesterday's light regeneration session as they prepare to face the Chicago Fire on Sunday. Today's closed session at Jeld-Wen saw only one change in personnel from yesterday.

Troy Perkins returned to the pitch to practice with the rest of the team after doing his own work out yesterday.

The Timbers ran out for a short training session today as they recover from their 0-0 draw against the Houston Dynamo. After the team's initial warm-ups, practice was closed to the press.

Missing from today's practice were Jack Jewsbury and Futty Danso, both of whom picked up injuries in Houston.

BROADCAST INFORMATION: FOX Sports Houston Plus - 7:30 p.m. (Comcast: 110; AT&T U-Verse: SD= 692 HD=1692; DirecTV: SD=680 / HD=680-1; Dish Network:SD=443 / HD=9581) MultiMedios Houston - 7 p.m. KBME 790 (ENG Radio) La Ranchera 850 (SPN Radio)
REFEREE: Chris Penso. MLS Career: 18 games; FC/gm: 22.

On the day before attempting to break out of their current run of bad form against the Columbus Crew, the Portland Timbers held a short, closed practice at Jeld-Wen field. Although practice the day before a game is never long, today's ran about twenty minutes shorter than most pregame practices, with most of the team heading off of the pitch as the press were let back on to the field.

The Portland Timbers held a closed practice today at Jeld-Wen field ahead of their impending match up against the Columbus Crew. With both the Timbers and Crew near the bottom of the league table, the pressure is on for the Timbers to find a win but the mood around practice seemed upbeat.

Perhaps the most interesting news out of practice today came from a tweet by Mike Donovan.

The Portland Timbers practiced today at Jeld-Wen Field for the first time since their defeat by the Montreal Impact on Saturday. Practice was closed to the press after the team completed their warm-ups.

The Timbers wounded were a mixed bag at practice with Troy Perkins, who will be a game time decision this weekend according to John Spencer, at practice and running with a bandage on his nose.

Under a distinctly Portlandian drizzle, the Timbers held a closed training today ahead of their match with old foes, but league newcomers, the Montreal Impact. The Timbers travel to Montreal tomorrow to get in a day of training in Mntreal before Saturday's game at the Stade Olympico.

Two months in to the season, the Timbers are finally starting to look more healthy than injured with 27 of the roster's 30 players actually making the pitch for warm-ups today.

Despite the exciting day yesterday with regards to transfers and retirements today is still game day and, as such, it's time to do our usual preparation for what could be the biggest game yet of the season for the Portland Timbers due to the implications of a win tonight.

As most of us know, Sporting Kansas City are currently unbeaten this season having accrued 21 points over their first 7 games.

KC continue their two game Pacific Northwest road swing tomorrow when they'll take on the Portland Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field. Portland is struggling quite a bit at the moment. They've lost their last 4 games, and are winless in their last 5. Of course a team that is struggling isn't always the thing you want to face.

At the Timbers training today out at their new practice facility (more on that later today), several injured players continued to work their way back to fitness. Joe Bendik, Jake Gleeson, David Horst, and Futty Danso all made the pitch and participated in warm-ups before practice was closed to the press.

The Portland Timbers practiced today under cloudy skies at Jeld-Wen Field ahead of their midweek break. Practice had a surprise in store as the Timbers reserves left the field following the team warm-ups in anticipation of a closed doors scrimmage against the University of Portland tonight. Without the reserves on hand, the Timbers first teamers were treated to some small field games interspersed with running overseen by fitness coach John Ireland.

Mid-April 2011 marked the Timbers' first in-season acquisition of the MLS era (DP Diego Chara, signed April 13), but the team still had two MLS trades ahead, acquiring instant starters LB Mike Chabala and RB Lovell Palmer in July, and midfielder Eric Alexander in August.

So while worries about the team's defensive performance have already expressed themselves in the form of two veteran international trialists, why wouldn't the front office be actively pursuing an MLS trade to upgrade the back line?

Ha, sorry about posting this early, the full version is below. Thanks!

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If you have five central midfielders, and zero wide midfielders, do you have a central midfield?

The Portland Timbers held a sparsely attended practice today at Jeld-Wen Field ahead of their reserve match-up against the Seattle Sounders this evening. Training today consisted of only twelve players thanks to injuries and the absence of the reserves. The Timbers started practice with fitness drills before John Spencer decided to close practice to the press.

The Portland Timbers final practice before facing off against Chivas USA took place at Jeld-Wen Field this morning. Amidst brief patches of sunshine, the Timbers took part in their usual warm-up running and games of keep away before practice was closed to the press.

Hanyer Mosquera again warmed up with the team, but the extent to which he participated in practice is unknown.

The Timbers started off today's practice after their day off by wishing a happy birthday to Diego Chara who turns 26 today. After that it was down to business, as new fitness coach John Ireland continued to change up the Timbers warm up routines. After the Timbers completed some running and ball control drills, practice was closed to the press.

The Portland Timbers' training today took place at Jeld-Wen Field in the usual Portland spring weather. Practice consisted of the usual warm-ups, overseen by new fitness coach John Ireland, and a half-field game followed by more running to close out practice.

The cool down running, according to John Spencer, was intended to maintain the team's strength and fitness when the coaching staff felt not enough running had occurred in the course of practice.

One surprise so far this season has been the degree to which SuperDraft picks have been immediately involved in their teams this year. Few in Portland would have expected Andrew Jean-Baptiste, for example, to play at all in 2012, much less in three out of the first four matches of the season. He isn't just playing, he's playing well.

Liverpool is understood to have offered trials to three of Ghana's brightest young talents, Sky Sports understands.
Bright Gyenfi, James Akaminko and Nurudeen Amed are all due on Merseyside next month.
The trio hails from Prampram Mighty Royals Football Club, who recently produced starlet Masahudu Alhassan and has just made the breakthrough at Serie A outfit Genoa.

The New England Revolution are about to take on the Portland Timbers in the 2012 home opener. Because I'm pressed for time, I can't talk much in this space. But I have lineups!

Revolution: Matt Reis; Kevin Alston, Shalrie Joseph, A.J. Soares, Chris Tierney; Ryan Guy, Lee Nguyen, Clyde Simms, Kelyn Rowe; Blake Brettschneider, Saer Sene

Bench: Shuttleworth, Cardenas, Fagundez, Mansally, Polak, Purdie, White

Timbers: Troy Perkins; Lovel Palmer, Hanyer Mosquera, Eric Brunner, Rodney Wallace; Kalif Alhassan, Diego Chara, Jack Jewsbury, Eric Alexander; Darlington Nagbe, Kris Boyd

Bench: Bendik, Braun, Chabala, Dike, Jean-Baptiste, Perlaza, Songo'o

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Does New Engand have what it will take to beat the Timbers without Benny Feilhaber on Saturday? (Photo: Joshua Pearson)

After opening the season on the road – where the wins and goals have been impossible to come by thus far – the Revolution returns home on Saturday to face the undefeated Portland Timbers.

(Editor's note: Prior to each Revolution match, New England Soccer Today will invite a reporter who covers the Revolution's upcoming opponent to provide greater insight on what to expect on gameday.)

This week, Kelly McLain from Timbers Insider was kind enough to share his thoughts on the state of the Portland Timbers and what the New England Revolution can expect when they face them at Gillette Stadium for Saturday afternoon's game.

Today the Portland Timbers held a full practice at Jeld-Wen field after a starter optional training on Monday. Practice focused on passing and movement off the ball with the players taking part in a series of keep away drills.

Midway through practice the Timbers split into groups and player 6v3, 5v3, and 4v3 games of keep away.

Monday's training was optional for players who played more than 45 minutes on Saturday, so those players did not participate in the regular training. Rodney Wallace and Kalif Alhassan ran laps around the field. Kris Boyd joined Wallace later on, and they kicked the ball around.

The rest of the boys, plus Spencer and assistants Cameron Knowles and Amos Magee, played a half field scrimmage.

Sometimes I wonder how many more pageviews you get when you add "Freddy Adu" to the title of an article. For a player that has been talked about more than any in US soccer history, Adu continues to make headlines simply for continuing to play soccer. "Will Freddy do this/that/the other?" Here's the rub: Nobody knows!

Major League Soccer's opening week is in the books, and while a few team performances are what stood out the most, there were some individual moments that deserve another look.

A few of the First Kick goals boasted quality right of the gates to help kick off MLS' 17th season.

Behind the Axe looks at the recent news since the Timbers huge win over the Philadelphia Union to start the 2012 MLS season. Midfielder Kalif Alhassan earned multiple awards for his efforts on March 12, while the Timbers will say goodbye to goalkeeper Jake Gleeson for a bit while he returns to New Zealand.

It was a night to remember at Jeld Wen Field Monday night. I was there, in Section 108, for the Portland Boys; my fiancee was there for hugging; my beer was there for drinking. My five layers of clothing were there to keep me warm. With the exception of a woman sitting in front of me with a bizarre anti-redhead bias (although considering Lexi Lalas was on the premises, I can see her point), I had a great crowd in my immediate vicinity, Stumptown Footy reader smorris793 among them.

A tentative and reactionary Philadelphia Union squad left Portland without a point, dropping their season opener 3-1.

The visitors were unable to breakthrough a weakened Portland Timbers defense, missing regular starter Futty Danso, and managed only two shots on goal the entire game.

Newcomers Lionard Pajoy, a Colombian striker, and Josue Martinez, a versatile Costa Rican international forward, started alongside Freddy Adu and Michael Farfan in Philadelphia's attack.

Team News & Setup
Similar to last season, manager John Spencer played his 4-4-2. Portland brought in Kris Boyd as a designated player to pair better with the style of Spencer than Kenny Cooper, who preferred to drift wide and play on the ground. Boyd arrives as the SPL's all-time leading scorer.

Photo: PortlandTimbers.com

If you can take your face out of your hands long enough to read it, PSP's Eli Pearlman-Storch has a match report from last night's Union season opener. It ain't pretty.

More match reports from the Union, The Inquirer, The Guardian, ESPN, PhillySoccerNews, Goal.

Photo: Earl Gardner

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Philadelphia Union did not get off to the start they were looking for in 2012, slumping to a 3–1 defeat at Portland's Jeld-Wen Stadium on a rainy Monday night.

Goals from debutants Jean-Andrew Baptiste and Kris Boyd brought Portland back after the Union's Gabriel Gomez, making his own debut for Philadelphia, gave his side the lead with a powerfully struck free kick.

Quick Recap:

The Portland Timbers come out strong but don't hit their stride until the Second Half and a wake-up call after going down 1. Portland were galvanized instead of hanging their heads and end up with a dominant win 3-1.

First Half:

Portland really came out like they meant to take the game to the Philadelphia Union and almost immediately attacked the Union down the wings.

The Portland Timbers could not have asked for a much better start to the MLS season.

Playing in the final Week 1 match of the new campaign, the Timbers defeated the Philadelphia Union, 3-1, on a rainy night inside a packed Jeld-Wen Field. The hosts fell behind early in the second half, but responded with three unanswered goals from newcomers Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Kris Boyd and Kalif Alhassan.

Philadelphia Union starting line-up: Zac MacMath; Sheanon Williams, Danny Califf, Carlos Valdes, Porfirio Lopez; Freddy Adu, Brian Carroll, Gabriel Gomez, Michael Farfan; Lionard Pajoy, Josue Martinez

Philadelphia Union bench: Danny Mwanga, Keon Daniel, Cristhian Hernandez, Jack McInerney, Amobi Okugo, Gabriel Farfan, Chase Harrison

Portland Timbers starting line-up: Troy Perkins; Rodney Wallace, Eric Brunner, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Lovel Palmer; Eric Alexander, Jack Jewsbury, Diego Chara, Kalif Alhassan, Jorge Perlaza, Kris Boyd

Portland Timbers bench: Jake Gleeson, Mike Chabala, Darlington Nagbe, James Marcelin, Ryan Kawulok, Bright Dike, Freddie Braun

Martinez over Mwanga.

Timbers fans saw a lot of sights many thought they might never see on Monday night. John Spencer played something other than a 4-4-2 to start the match, Jack Jewsbury got into a shoving match with a San Jose player who thought he could get away with something, and Kalif Alhassan scored a goal in a two-tone timbers kit.

Finally under a month to go until the Timbers kick off the 2012 season! Currently Portland has 8 players who are not signed to contracts that are fighting for 4 spots. The break down of the 26(27 with Valencia) spots is as follows:

Keepers: 2 - Troy Perkins and Jake Gleeson

Defenders: 10 - Eric Brunner, Futty Danso, Lovel Palmer, Mike Chabala, David Horst, Rodney Wallace, Steve Purdy, Christ Taylor, Andrew Jean-Baptiste and Hanyer Mosquera.

Kalif Alhassan Assists 2011 from Mark Teipe on Vimeo.

Portland came out in a 4-5-1 and Nagbe saw his first action of the pre-season as Portland defeated the Houston Dynamo 2-0. The goals came from Captain Jack Jewsbury (on an assist from Ryan Kawoluk) and James Marcelin.

From the tweets Bright Dike started as the lone man up top and the defense was pretty shaky in the early goings.