MLS First Kick: Union Head To Portland On March 12 To Open 2012 MLS Season Against The Timbers On ESPN2

by Scott Kessler on Dec 6, 2011 3:49 PM EST in News

The Philadelphia will travel to Oregon to face the Portland Timbers on March 12, part of the opening week of the 2012 MLS season.

The games is one of four opening week MLS games that will be featured on national television (the Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact game is nationally televised in Canda). ESPN2 will show the second ever meeting in Portland between the two teams, at 9:30 pm.

In their first match up, Portland eked out a 1-0 win at home versus the Union in a sloppy game, one in which Philadelphia center back Danny Califf was sick and right back Sheanon Williams moved into his position, with Gabriel Farfan and Michael Farfan playing as fullbacks.

A road game against the Timbers marks the third straight year that the Union will begin a season away. The Union are 1-1-0 in season openers thus far in the franchise's existence. Last year the Union grabbed a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo on a Califf goal. Two years ago it was a disastrous 2-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders that led to David Myrie's almost immediate release and the inability for SuperDraft selection Toni Stahl to find the field for the remainder of the 2010 MLS season.

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2-0

First match score.

by earl_of_reed on Dec 6, 2011 5:13 PM EST reply actions

Thanks for the catch, Earl.

Fixed.

Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Dec 6, 2011 11:16 PM EST up reply actions

One of these days MLS will let the Union actually have a home opener as their first match.

by Ascalz on Dec 6, 2011 5:26 PM EST reply actions

Thank you...

for inserting negativity into an article without any. Philly +1.

by Stephen Francis Lucey on Dec 6, 2011 9:20 PM EST up reply actions

I kind of hinted toward the same thought...

in the article.

Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Dec 6, 2011 11:17 PM EST up reply actions

priorities!

I’ll have the kids in bed by 11:30, plenty of time to sleep for school…… Mom may not like it, but who is she to deny the DOOP~!

by dangeroo on Dec 7, 2011 9:15 AM EST up reply actions

For selfish reasons, I don’t like this. Since it’s a school night, it means my daughter won’t be able to watch the season opener.

by Zherog on Dec 6, 2011 8:44 PM EST reply actions

That is unfortunate.

However, Monday night soccer without any NFL games to interfere? Nice.

Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Dec 6, 2011 11:17 PM EST up reply actions

Sure. My comment was from a purely selfish perspective. I think, overall, the date and time slot are good for MLS, and the fact the league stuffed the Union into that slot says lots of good things about our team. My daughter (11 by that date) will have to live with seeing the highlights and reading the game summary.

by Zherog on Dec 7, 2011 1:17 PM EST up reply actions

c'mon dad!

My daughter is 11 as well, what could your daughter possibly learn on a tuesday in the 5th or 6th grade that is more important then the home opener? In fact you could argue that by watching the game will be learning all of the following: world cultures, math, critical thinking, estimating, interpersonal skills, teamwork, art (red and yellow are both primary colors), the list goes on and on…… ;-)

by dangeroo on Dec 7, 2011 1:23 PM EST up reply actions

edit

that should read season opener!

by dangeroo on Dec 7, 2011 3:48 PM EST up reply actions

Just curious...

i was wondering what the union fans thought about this match-up.
im a timbers fan myself but if i lived somewhere without a team, i would most likely follow the union. so its safe to say im excited about this home opener for us and mostly for the reason that it is a good balance of teams. i feel like the timbers and the union are competitive adversaries. i dont think it will be an easy game and i dont think it will be a high scoring affair.

RCTID

by Homes In Catacombs on Dec 7, 2011 11:49 PM EST reply actions