The Portland Timbers have won all of their five MLS home games in this year and have drawn sellout crowds of more than 18,000 for each game. On Wednesday, the MLS newcomers again filled theirstadium but lost, 2-0, in a friendly to Dutch champion Ajax Amsterdam.
“It was a great measuring stick,” Portland coach John Spencer said. “(Our) players watch ChampionsLeague [soccer] on television and think, ‘Well, that’s easy. I can do that.’ Then you get a chance to see them up close and how good their technique is. I thought their movement was exhilarating attimes.”
On Sunday, Ajax beat D.C. United, 2-1, in front of an RFK Stadium crowd of 10,728.