Portland Timbers vs Los Angeles FC

Providence Park is the venue as Portland Timbers and Los Angeles FC go head-to-head in a tasty-looking Major League Soccer showdown.

After qualifying for the MLS playoffs five seasons in a row, Portland missed out on the post-season commitments last term, and there’s a good chance they could encounter identical fate this year. Having picked up just one victory in four league outings in the lead-up to this meeting (D1, L2), the ‘Timbers’ commence this round four points off 9th-placed FC Dallas in the Western Conference. The impending home return following an action-packed 2-2 draw at Seattle Sounders last time out should provide interim manager Miles Joseph with some courage, considering his men have won twice in their three most recent MLS games at Providence Park (L1). Yet, it doesn’t show the full picture that looks bleak for Portland, given they’ve only won 46% of their MLS home fixtures this season (W6, D3, L4).

Meanwhile, visiting Los Angeles should be steamrolling to a second successive MLS playoff qualification despite losing back-to-back matches by an aggregate score of 5-2 ahead of this trip. Still seven points clear of 10th-placed Austin FC, Steve Cherundolo’s men look safe, yet their hopes of topping the Western Conference have dwindled. With pacesetters St. Louis City moving seven points clear, Los Angeles must capitalize on a game in hand here to return in contention for a top-table finish. However, an abysmal four-game league form on hostile turf (D1, L3) suggests the visitors will unlikely record consecutive MLS away wins over Portland for the first time in the club’s history following a 2-1 victory in this corresponding fixture last term.