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PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers open the 2010 season on Saturday, April 17, at PGE Park as they play host to the Rochester Rhinos at 7 p.m., it was announced today as the club released its regular-season schedule for the upcoming campaign.

For the seventh time in 10 seasons, the Timbers kick off the season at home, playing three of their first four matches at PGE Park, and featuring fixtures against Northwest-rival Vancouver and league-newcomer AC St. Louis.

Portland’s 30-game schedule is composed of a home and an away matchup against all 11 opponents in the U.S. Soccer Federation Division 2 Pro League, plus additional home and away contests against Vancouver, St. Louis, NSC Minnesota Stars and Crystal Palace Baltimore.

Convenient and affordable season-ticket packages filled with exclusive benefits are currently available by contacting the Timbers ticket office at (503) 553-5555. For more information on season tickets, mini-plans, group packages or party suites, visit www.portlandtimbers.com. Purchasing a 2010 season ticket package grants priority status for season tickets when the Timbers join Major League Soccer in 2011.

The Timbers home schedule likely will be supplemented by the annual Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament and in-season exhibition matches. In June, the Timbers face the first three rounds of the U.S. Open Cup, and will play up to three additional home games in July with a mixture of U.S. Open Cup and exhibitions matches.

Portland concludes the regular season Saturday, Oct. 2 on the road against Vancouver.

In 2010, the U.S. Soccer Federation Division 2 Pro League will consist of two six-team conferences – the United Soccer Leagues Conference and North American Soccer League Conference. Four new teams will join the league in 2010 – Baltimore, Minnesota, St. Louis and FC Tampa Bay Rowdies.

The first-place team from each conference will earn the top two seeds in the postseason, while the next six best teams, based on total points, will round out the playoff field. Starting with the first round, each round of the playoffs, including the championship, will be a two-game, home-and-away aggregate-goal series. The postseason will begin the week of Oct. 4.

The Timbers’ 2010 home schedule includes a combination of Wednesday (2), Thursday (6), Saturday (3) and Sunday (4) matches. Standard kickoff times for home matches Thursday through Saturday is 7 p.m., and 5 p.m. on Sunday.

A complete list of promotions for the upcoming season and the Timbers’ FSN television schedule will be released at a later date.

2010 TIMBERS SCHEDULE NOTES
HOME DATES BY DAYS OF THE WEEK:
Wednesday (2), Thursday (6), Saturday (3), Sunday (4)

 

ROAD DATES BY DAYS OF THE WEEK:
Wednesday (3), Thursday (1), Saturday (10), Sunday (1)

HOME DATES BY MONTH:
April (3), May (3), June (3), July (2), August (3), September (1)

ROAD DATES BY MONTH:
April (1), May (1), June (3), July (3), August (3), September (3), October (1)

LONGEST HOME STRETCH:
Four (4) matches (April 29 – May 19)

LONGEST ROAD STRETCH:
Four (4) matches (July 22-Aug. 4; Sept. 11-Oct. 2)