BEAVERTON, Ore. – For the first time since November, the Portland Timbers can shift their focus to a competitive game. And after five weeks of training camp, the team’s first match can’t come soon enough.
“Five weeks, is it long enough?,” Portland defender Liam Ridgewell asked, rhetorically, on Tuesday, the Timbers having completed their first training since returning from Arizona. “We’ll wait and see on Sunday.
“We’re ready to go and feeling fresh, and the big thing is we’re looking forward to it. [Preseason is] long, hard, grueling. You’re away from home, away from family.