Despite all the excitement for the new MLS season, the Timbers have been disappointing in their first two games. After falling 2-1 to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the first game of the season, the team took a second loss to the New York Red Bulls losing 4-0.

Despite these unfortunate results, many students are still feeling optimistic about the season. Sophomore Andrew Parshall says that he is “excited for the season” and that he “can’t wait for the first home game.” But the Timbers will not have a home game until a month and a half into the new season.

During the offseason the Timbers announced an expansion to their stadium Providence Park. The stadium that previously held 22,000 people will add a section above the Keybank club. The new section will provide an additional 4,000 seats to the park, and over 3,000 of them will go to the growing list of season ticket holders.

However, the stadium will only be temporarily finished over a month into the new season, postponing the home opener to April 14th, thus giving the team a long stretch of five away games to begin the season. The entire stadium expansion will not be completely finished until after the season is over.

In a February 28th video interview with The Oregonian, when asked about the first games of the season, Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese said that they will “take one game at a time.” In another video interview with The Oregonian on February 27th, defender Liam Ridgewell said that the first five games of the season “are going to be big, and we have to play as a team.”

The Timbers have a two week break after their loss to New York, with a game in Dallas on March 24th.

“It is good to have these two weeks to get back to work, and prepare for Dallas,” Savarese said.

After Dallas, the Timbers play the Chicago Fire on March 31st, and Orlando City on April 8th, which wraps up their long road trip. The first home game of the season is against Minnesota United on April 14th.