PORTLAND, Ore. –The Portland Timbers kick off the 2008 regular season on Thursday, April 17, when they play host to the Puerto Rico Islanders at PGE Park, it was announced today as the club unveiled its complete regular-season schedule for the upcoming United Soccer League First Division campaign.

 

Portland begins a new 30-game balanced schedule with four consecutive matches at PGE Park featuring matches against the defending USL First Division-champion Seattle Sounders and Rochester Raging Rhinos.

  

The Timbers face each USL First Division opponent three times during the 2008 regular season. In addition to facing each team once at home and once on the road, the Timbers will host the Minnesota Thunder, Charleston Battery, Puerto Rico Islanders, Seattle and Miami FC a second time at PGE Park. In return, Portland will visit Rochester Raging Rhinos, Montreal Impact, Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks and Vancouver Whitecaps twice during the season.

 

Portland’s 15-game home schedule is highlighted by a special afternoon match on Memorial Day against Miami FC, matches against Northwest-rival Seattle on April 26 and a Fox Soccer Channel match on Aug. 7, and a June 12 match against the Atlanta Silverbacks, who eliminated the Timbers from the playoffs last season.

 

The 2008 home schedule includes a combination of Monday (1), Thursday (9), Friday (1) and Saturday (4) matches. Standard kickoff times for home matches are 7 p.m.

 

The Timbers conclude their home schedule on Sept. 11 against Charleston and wrap up the 2008 campaign on Sept. 20 at Carolina.

 

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