Your Twos are looking down the final straightaway of the 2026 season, with over two-thirds done and dusted and a crucial stretch of games separating them from the postseason. An up-and-down year has seen Head Coach Fanendo Adi’s side remain firmly in contention with a strong pack of Western Conference teams, keeping the Loons above the playoff cutoff in eighth ahead of this weekend’s big matchup with third-placed Portland.
This will be the second battle between these sides this year, and the first in Minnesota. When the Twos visited Portland, they suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of their hosts, conceding to Timbers2 leading goal scorer Daniel Cervantes and midfielder Colin Griffith. Loons midfielder Sam Vigilante got his side back in the game with a 77th-minute strike, but he and the boys were unable to find that coveted equalizer in the end.
Since that mid-May matchup, both sides have found more success than defeat in league play. Timbers2 have climbed up to and maintained third place in the west, averaging two points a game behind an 11-4-5 overall record. The Loons, meanwhile, are a mere two points out of fifth in a very tight race for playoff positioning just down the table.
Heading into this weekend’s home match, the Loons will be looking for a bit of a bounceback, having come off a 1-0 defeat at the hands of SKC II last time out. They’ll need the likes of Marcus Caldeira (10 goals, 2 assists) and Darius Randell (6 goals, 3 assists) to bring their shooting boots to the NSC Stadium, as those two attackers have consistently provided the Black and Blue their most potent attacking threats this season.
The standouts don’t stop there, though. Defender — and Academy product — Anderson Farris currently leads the squad in minutes played (1,654), adding a goal and an assist from fullback. His impressive step up in 2026 has paired well with a strong stable of midfield options in front of him, where Luciano Pechota has also played in every single match this season.
As strong as the Loons are heading into this one, Portland won’t be scared. Their fresh 1-0 win over Real Monarchs will have given them further confidence, having extended their unbeaten run to four games in a row. Watch out for midfielder Eric Iziota, whose four goals and three assists in 1,660 minutes show just how important of a playmaker he is to this side. Additionally, defender Nicklas Lund and midfielder Victor Enriquez stand out as the only two players to start all 20 of Portland’s games this year, further establishing the solidity that this team has found across the 2026 MLSNP season.
With their three-game away stretch behind them, the Twos are set to play a pair of games up in Blaine, starting with this weekend’s showdown with Portland. Head on out to the National Sports Center to cheer on your Twos, with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff set for this Friday, July 31. Streaming will be available on MLSNEXTPro.com.
