Timbers prep for MLS opener - Pamplin Media Group

SOCCER ROUNDUP/BY PAUL DANZER/PORTLAND TRIBUNE/Thorns open sixth National Women's Soccer League camp

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Timbers

Portland will play its next-to-last preseason match on Wednesday in Tucson, Arizona.

Being winless in three games so far hardly matters, though the way FC Dallas controlled things in the first half on might be worrisome. But Dallas was four days away from its first competitive match of 2018 in the CONCACAF Champions League and thus was ahead of Portland in fitness and sharpness.

For first-year Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese, the target is the March 4 MLS opener on the road against the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Among the positives from the FC Dallas match: Recently signed forward Samuel Armenteros scored four minutes into his Timbers debut, finishing a through ball from Diego Valeri.

The goal came after Savarese shifted formations, inserting Armenteros alongside Fanendo Adi, with Diego Valeri playing behind the two strikers and in front of three other midfielders. During the Caleb Porter era, the Timbers played almost exclusively with a single striker. On Saturday, Savarese's shift changed momentum on the field and provided a glimpse of the versatility of a deeper roster.

• Defender Kris Reaves, who played last fall at the University of Portland and recently signed with Dallas, looked strong in the second half, including when he made a terrific recovery tackle to deny a scoring chance for Adi.

Thorns

Portland opened camp on Monday. Its sixth National Women's Soccer League season begins on March 24 on the road with a rematch of last season's final against the North Carolina Courage. Like the Timbers, the Thorns' home debut is delayed because of construction work at Providence Park. Their first home match is April 15 against Orlando. Last week, the league announced that Portland will have four players' paid by their national federations: Christine Sinclair of Canada and Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan and Emily Sonnet of the United States. Meghan Klingenberg is no longer an allocated player. To keep her, the Thorns must sign her to a NWSL contract. She is in training camp with the club. The Thorns recently added a dynamic fullback by signing Ellie Carpenter. The Australian international will join the Thorns after her 18th birthday on April 28. On Monday the Thorns announced they have signed seven returning players for 2018: midfielder/defender Celeste Boureille, goalkeepers Adrianna Franch and Britt Eckerstrom, defender Katherine Reynolds and forwards Hayley Raso, Meg Morris and Mallory Weber.

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