PORTLAND, Ore. – Phoenix Rising FC will try to clinch a place in the USL Cup Playoffs for the first time in club history on Wednesday night when it visits the Portland Timbers 2 at Providence Park to conclude its three-game trip through Cascadia. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT.
Matchcenter: Click Here | Tickets: Click Here | Broadcast: YurView Arizona (PHX)
Portland Timbers 2 news and notes
Current record: 2-19-6, 12pts
Portland fell 6-1 to Reno 1868 FC on Saturday night as the side remained 11 points adrift at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
The loss ended a run of three consecutive draws for T2, which included back-to-back home draws against playoff contenders Tulsa Roughnecks FC and Real Monarchs SLC.
T2 goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh remains among the league-leaders in saves, notching 78 this season to put him fifth in the USL.
Lamar Batista, who was named No. 8 in the USL 20 Under 20 earlier this year, leads T2 with 42 interceptions and 60 clearances this season.
Phoenix Rising FC news and notes
Current record: 13-7-7, 46pts
Rising FC took a 4-0 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on Sunday afternoon as it extended its undefeated streak to 10 games and earned its fourth consecutive win.
Alessandro Riggi had a goal and two assists in the victory against Vancouver, having also found the net in the side’s 1-0 win against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on the previous Wednesday.
Phoenix would clinch a playoff place on Wednesday with a victory, which would leave ninth-place Orange County SC unable to overtake Rising FC on wins, the first tiebreaker used to determine placings.
Phoenix has recorded shutouts in each of its past three games, as goalkeeper Josh Cohen has doubled his shutouts total to six this season.
Series Notes
Squads
Portland – GK: Wade Hamilton, Christian Herrera, Kendall McIntosh; D: Michael Amick, Vytas Andriuskevicius, Lamar Batista, Kyle Bjornethun, Rennico Clarke, Ben Zemanski, Coby Atkinson, Shaquille Jimenez, Amobi Okugo, Max Ornstil; M: Jack Barmby, Russell Cicerone, Tomas Granitto, Terrell Lowe, Omar Mohamed, Bill Tuiloma, Adrian Villegas, Renzo Zambrano, Carlos Anguiano, Akil Watts; F: Victor Arboleda, Gio Calixtro, Jeremy Ebobisse, Augustine Williams
Phoenix – GK: Josh Cohen, John Berner, Nolan Wirth; D: Eder Arreola, Jordan Gibbons, Doue Mala, Amadou Dia, J.J. Greer, A.J. Grey, Peter Ramage, Kody Wakasa, Victor Vasquez, Jordan Stewart; M: Alessandro Riggi, Eric Avila, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Romilio Hernandez, Sam Hamilton, Blair Gavin, Kevon Lambert, Miguel Timm, Matt Watson; F: Jason Johnson, Matthew Hurlow, Chris Cortez, Didier Drogba, Gladson Awako
Discipline
Portland – Suspended: Harold Hanson; Accumulation warning: Lamar Batista
Phoenix – Accumulation warning: Omar Bravo, Didier Drogba, J.J. Greer
Officials
REF: JEFF ARTHURHOLTZ
AR1: Billy Baldwin
AR2: JJ Blodgett
4TH: Ian Miller
Game hashtag:
Twitter social handles
Portland Timbers 2 – @TimbersFC2
Phoenix Rising FC – @PHXRisingFC