Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber has announced a plan to add two more franchises by 2011, which will bring league membership up to 18 teams.
Meanwhile, Portland Timbers (USL) owner Merritt Paulson immediately confirmed his intentions to apply to secure one of those franchises for Portland.
And on Friday, the Oregonian updated with this report that the city could know its fate by fall.
The MLS Sounders have acquired midfielder Ciaran O’Brien on loan from MLS’ Colorado Rapids and signed former UW forward Kevin Forrest.
O’Brien is the son of Tacoma Tide coach Fran O’Brien and the brother of current Sounder Leighton O’Brien.
He played at Decatur High School and was the 2006 Washington State Gatorade Player of the Year. He went on to the University of San Diego and then transferred to UC Santa Barbara. He was the Rapids’ first pick in the 2008 MLS Superdraft, but has made only one appearance for them.
Forrest scored 16 goals and was
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After an outstanding victory on Saturday night against the Western Conference Playoff host (Fresno Fuego) by a score of 3-0, the Tide lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency.
Although the Tide’s season is over, a glance back notices an excellent year full of accomplishments.
…The team finished with their first ever NW Division Title. The Tide saw numerous acknowledgments of individual talent as their players made PDL Team’s of the Week. The Yellows even had a goal named PDL Goal of the Month. Mark Lee was selected to
Sebastien Le Toux, of the current and future Seattle Sounders, was named to the USL Division 1 Team of the Week today.
Le Toux scored the only goal in the Sounders’ 1-0 victory over Charleston on Saturday.
It was his third to the team of the week so far this season.
More information at the Sounders’ website.
The Tacoma Tide season came to an end Sunday night in Fresno, with a 4-1 loss to Vancouver in the PDL Western Conference title match in Fresno,Calif.
The Tacoma Tide won Saturday night to advance to the championship game of the Western Conference Playoffs of the PDL. The Tide had to go to Fresno to take on the Fresno Fuego at their home field, and they still came away with a 3-0 victory.
Full Game recap at www.TacomaFC.com
The Tide will play in the Western Conference Finals on Sunday night @ 7:30pm. The Tide’s opponent will be Northwest Division rivals; the Vancouver Whitecaps. The match will be played at Chukchansi Field in Fresno, California.
To watch
…MLS commissioner Don Garber addressed additional league expansion during the all-star festivities last week. His message seemed to be that the league will expand, perhaps quite a bit. But there still seem to be far more interested cities than there will be teams to go around.
Here’s is an overview look at Garber’s annual state-of-the-league address.
And here is a take from Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson about where this leaves the Rose City’s chances.
And here’s another on NBA star Steve Nash joining the push for Vancouver.
The suddenly-sub-.500 Seattle Sounders (5-6-8) return to Starfire in Tukwila tonight, facing the Charleston Battery (9-4-4) at 8 p.m. (This is a regular league game … the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal match comes next month in Charleston.)