Sounders FC 2 (8-13-2) returns to the road once again for an away clash with Portland Timbers FC 2 (2-17-3) at Providence Park on August 17 (7:30 p.m. PT, live-stream on SoundersFC.com). The two sides have faced off twice this season, both at Starfire Stadium, and S2 has done exceedingly well against their Cascadia rivals, winning the first meeting 2-1 and the second 2-0.
While T2 has struggled mightily this season, sitting dead last in the USL standings, the upcoming Cascadia fixture has the potential to be a ‘trap game’ for the Rave Green. T2 is an extremely young team prone to lapses in concentration, routinely souring strong performances by dropping points late in matches. And with both teams boasting several Academy graduates, the Pacific Northwest rivals will be intimately familiar with each other’s respective strengths and weaknesses.
As they have all season, T2 will line up in a pretty cut-and-dry 4-2-3-1 formation. But their overall style of play will depend largely on who gets the nod as the starting No. 9. The two top contenders, Jeremy Ebobisse and Augustine Williams, display different tendencies as the sole striker in their system.
Ebobisse, who’s broken into the first team of late, tends to push higher up the pitch and station himself just inside the final third. This allows T2’s more creative midfielders to play underneath him and combine in-and-around the box. Augustine, however, relies less on his technical ability and hold-up play. He tends to drift out to the left and utilize his pace, making darting runs in behind and cutting onto his favored right foot to score goals.
S2 will look to build on the momentum from its 3-1 demolition of Vancouver Whitecaps 2 by taking three more points from another Cascadia match. More specifically, Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson will need another strong performance from his three-man central midfield of Ray Saari, Francisco Narbon and Zach Mathers. That trio combines a potent blend of defensive steel, intelligent positioning and attacking verve, providing more than enough quality to get three points on the road in Portland, OR.
Here are three storylines to watch.
Parra Out Wide
Striker Felix Chenkam’s return to fitness has seen Irvin Parra, S2’s second-highest goal-scorer this season, move back to the wing. Parra spent plenty of time this season as the No. 9 in S2’s 4-2-3-1 system, despite his best position being out on the flanks. And in his two most recent outings as a winger, the Inglewood native has chipped in with one goal, two assists and three chances created. As a skilled dribbler with excellent vision, Parra’s burgeoning partnership with Chenkam should pay dividends against Portland.
Mathers’ Hot Streak Continues
First Team midfielder Zach Mathers has been unstoppable for S2 lately. He scored his fifth goal in five games against WFC2 on Sunday, extending his team lead to nine tallies from just 15 appearances. But his biggest influence has been the creativity he regularly supplies in the final third. Surrounded by an array of exciting wide players, Mathers’ combination of close control and vision often sees him initiate S2’s best attacking sequences by turning out of pressure and playing through-balls for the Rave Green wingers. Considering the obvious deficiencies in Portland’s defense, Mathers should have a field day down in Providence Park.
Test Kendall McIntosh
To be clear, T2’s goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh is incredibly gifted. The Santa Clara alum is arguably the best pure shot-stopper in USL, and if not for him, the Portland would’ve conceded twice as many goals this campaign. Having and that, he’s not infallible. Because the T2 backline surrenders so many clear-cut chances, McIntosh is routinely forced into gravity-defying reflex saves to keep his team in games. Given the relative inexperience of the defenders in front of him, this means that he also gives up plenty of rebounds inside the box that his defenders are slow to clear. S2 striker Felix Chenkam, who thrives on his positioning and reading of the game, will get plenty of opportunities to poach goals.
