Timbers look more to attack

Better home record one of team’s goals with revamped roster

The Portland Tribune, May 5, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

WILKINSON

One goal for the Portland Timbers: homeland security, but with a twist — more emphasis on launching attacks.

“We’re going to put teams under more pressure this season,” says Timbers coach Gavin Wilkinson.

The first of 15 regular-season United Soccer Leagues First Division home matches is 7 tonight against the first-place Carolina Rail Hawks (3-0). The teams will meet again at PGE Park at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Timbers, off to an 0-1 start after last week’s 1-0 loss at Vancouver, like to say they have the best fans in the USL, if not the United States. But they sputtered before the faithful last season, going 5-5-5 in league.

The year before, Portland stressed defense and went 9-1-6 at home against USL foes (with just six goals allowed and the only loss in the league semifinals). “Not many clubs around the world do that,” Wilkinson says.

Wilkinson says it isn’t easy as it looks for the Timbers to get a good result at PGE Park.

“Every other team loves coming here,” he says. “Yes, we have a homefield advantage, but other teams want to play in Portland. You can’t get excited to go to Minnesota or Miami, but clubs get excited to come here and play in front of a great crowd.”

The Timbers should be excited this weekend, too, because Carolina has become a contender. All the RailHawks’ victories have come at home, though. Carolina beat Minnesota 2-1 and 1-0 and Rochester 1-0.

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