The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (12,5,9) will be hosting Portland Timbers 2 (8,14,4) at the Practice Fields at H-E-B Park. The match kicks of at 7:30p.m. and can help the Toros secure a playoff spot in the Western Conference of the USL.
Rio Grande Valley is undefeated in the last 10 games and has won the past five consecutive games. The Toros last faced Swope Park Rangers on the road. Ruben Luna and Robert “TJ” Casner helped lift RGV over Swope Park 2-0. Ruben Luna scored off a corner kick in the 8th minute. Luna’s diving header connected with Jose “Memo” Rodriguez’s corner kick and found the back of the net for the first goal. Casner doubled the lead for the away team in the 68th shot. His shot slipped through Tim Melia, the Swope Park Rangers goalkeeper.
Portland Timbers 2 seeks to keep their form from the club’s past match. Portland cruised to a 4-0 win over OKC Energy FC. Villyan Bijev scored his first in the 34th minute. Bijev scored the second off a counter-attack in the second half. His second goal was scored in the 46th minute. Blake Bodily made it 3-0 for the Timbers 2 in the 71stminute. Agustine Williams scored his first professional goal four minutes later. After Cody Laurendi, OKC Energy FC goalkeeper, stopped the initial penalty shot, Williams headed in the rebound for the score.
The Toros travel for a two-game trip in the state of California. The first game will be against LA Galaxy II on Wednesday, September 14 before facing OC Blues FC on Saturday, September 17. Portland Timbers 2 stays on the road and will face Arizona United SC on Tuesday, September 13.