Toronto FC 2 - 2 Timbers
Final
  for this game

Toronto, Portland battle for much-needed win

Jul 29, 2011 - 9:28 PM Portland, OR (Sports Network) - Toronto FC enter Saturday's match against the Portland Timbers having lost four straight Major League Soccer regular season matches.

The club has never lost five straight games in MLS regular season play, and they will face a Portland team that is also struggling to pick up points.

Portland is winless in eight of its last nine games, going 1-7-1 in that stretch.

The club's home form has dwindled as well. Following a 5-0 start at Jeld-Wen Field, the Timbers have recorded four losses and one draw at home since then.

Timbers head coach John Spencer made an important trade last week, picking up Lovel Palmer and Mike Chabala from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for Adam Moffat and allocation money, in order invigorate his team.

"That's why they're here," Spencer told MLSsoccer.com of the new arrivals, "to play well and put pressure on the guys who have been here."

Toronto has had its fair share of recent arrivals as well.

Designated Player Danny Koevermans opened his MLS account and broke Toronto's 356-minute goal drought by scoring in the 50th minute of a 4-2 loss to Sporting Kansas City on July 23rd.

Toronto's other new Designated Player Torsten Frings captained his side in a 2-1 midweek victory over Real Esteli in the CONCACAF Champions League.

Fellow newcomer Ryan Johnson stresses that while they look to have found success in advancing in the Champions League, his team must not lose focus of the MLS regular season before the second leg in Nicaragua.

"We still have to take care of Portland first," Johnson told MLSsoccer.com. "That's a game that is important for us. We need to get as many points for us as possible in the league before we even go to Nicaragua."

Toronto travels to Portland still searching for its first regular season road win in 2011.

Both clubs sit towards the bottom of their respective conferences, with Toronto FC in ninth in the East with 18 points and Portland in eight in the West with 21 points.






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