Major League Soccer returns to Tucson starting Friday night, when the Portland Timbers and New York Red Bulls face off in the first Desert Friendly match of 2017.
Friday’s match at Kino North Stadium marks the seventh straight year in which FC Tucson has hosted MLS teams for preseason games.
The reasons why are, well, easy.
“It’s is one of the most beautiful places in the country and, in my opinion, the world, to come to,” FC Tucson partner Jon Pearlman said. “(Tucson has) fantastic weather, the fields here are immaculate … and we have a community of people who are welcoming and positive. People want to come here and they want to come back as well.”
Several MLS stars are expected to play Friday.
The Red Bulls, one of the premier teams in MLS, won the Eastern Conference last season with a 16-9-9 record.
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Forward Bradley Wright-Phillips finished last season with a league-high 24 goals; teammate Sacha Kljestan finished with 20 assists, most in MLS.
Coach Caleb Porter’s Timbers, meanwhile, finished seventh in the Western Conference and narrowly missed making the playoffs.
Forward Fanendo Adi and midfielder Diego Valeri finished with 16 and 14 goals, respectively, and goalkeeper Jake Gleeson finished with a league-high 118 saves.
Fans will have the opportunity to catch teams like the Timbers, Red Bulls, New York City FC, Seattle Sounders FC and the Colorado Rapids over the next month during the Desert Friendlies and the Desert Diamond Cup.
“We’ve got two top-class teams battling it out in the first run of preseason and it’s going to be a game that will excite the fans,” Pearlman said. “It’s a great way to kick off our game schedule here in Tucson.”
Corner kicks
- Nearly 40 Tucsonans will be honored Friday as part of Tucson Legends of Soccer Night. Longtime Salpointe Catholic High School boys soccer coach Wolfgang Weber, New York Red Bulls goalkeeper and Arizona native Luis Robles and FC Tucson Women’s defender Analisa Marquez are among the honorees. The Star’s Greg Hansen and Dave Ord are also among the designated legends.
“We really wanted to do something special to try and grow the youth game in Tucson … and in that we realized there are so many people who are great players —both women and men — and great coaches that have helped me and so many other players and coaches,” Pearlman said.
- Former U.S. national team member Freddy Adu will train with the Timbers with hopes of making the team. Adu’s tryout was first reported by ESPNFC on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Adu was once considered a future star in the sport, but has bounced between clubs since first signing with D.C. United as a 14-year-old.
