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Morelia will be 'best team' Timbers have had for an exhibition

Portland coach wants to see his team take more chances, shots

By Steve Brandon

The Portland Tribune, Jul 6, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

Former Mexican Under-23 striker Luis Angel Landin will be part of the Morelia team facing the Portland Timbers at PGE Park on Thursday night.

COURTESY OF PORTLAND TIMBERS

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Of all the exhibition opponents the Portland Timbers have welcomed to PGE Park since their rebirth in 2001, “this will be the best team we’ve had,” coach Gavin Wilkinson says of Mexico’s Monarcas Morelia.

The two sides will do battle at 7 p.m. Thursday, and Wilkinson expects a battle.

“They’ve got quality, quality players who could play in most countries around the world,” he says. “It’s a first-class team, very established, in a well-respected league. And because it’s their preseason, their players will be looking to impress early so they can stake a claim on the roster.

“I think you’ll see something special.”

CROWD FACTOR

The Timbers have their loyal following, but Morelia should have plenty of fans, too.

“In fact,” Wilkinson says, “they may have more support Thursday than we have.”

The Timbers are hoping for a crowd of 10,000-plus. Exhibitions drew 7,761 for Necaxa on May 9, 2007, and the Super Classic of Legends featuring two Mexican clubs (Chivas and Club America) drew 14,761 on Aug. 10, 2007.

TRAINING OPEN

Morelia will work out Wednesday at Mt. Hood Community College. The practice, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., is open to the public.

The Timbers and Morelia also will play Sunday at 6 p.m. at Seattle's Memorial Stadium.

BROWN SCORES

Portland is coming off a 2-0 league victory at Atlanta in which the first score was said to be an own goal.

The ruling has been changed, however, and forward Chris Brown has been credited with the tally.

“Brownie had a shot on target and it took a deflection,” Wilkinson says.

TOUGH TRIP

The Timbers lost 1-0 at Carolina on Friday night, then beat Atlanta 24 hours later.

“Probably the worst trip I’ve had with the Timbers,” Wilkinson says, referring mostly to the travel demands. “We spent a total of about 21 hours just getting to those games.”

That included 13 hours to reach the team hotel in Carolina and an eight-hour bus ride Friday night from Carolina to Atlanta.

“A horrendous night,” Wilkinson says. “We got to our hotel in Atlanta at 6:30 a.m., and the game was purely on fumes for a lot of our players. And Atlanta was frsh, but they started slowly, probably thinking that we’d be tired.”

Brown’s goal came in the third minute.

“We scored early, pretty much the way Carolina did to us,” Wilkinson says. “The rest of the night, we maintained our shape and were very disciplined, and then we capitalized on one of their mistakes (for a goal by Chris Bagley). Brownie and Bagley did very well.”

Wilkinson says the Timbers’ goal was to gain four points on the trip; Portland wound up with three.

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