A pair of arch-rivals in the thick of a tight playoff race in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer will face off on Sunday as the Portland Timbers welcome the Vancouver Whitecaps to Providence Park.
A victory for either side could catapult them into a postseason position, with the Timbers and Caps one and two points back of that final spot respectively.
Match preview
A veteran group in Portland who have been together for some time now look determined to show they have another great run left in them.
Throughout the campaign, many have suggested the defending Western Conference champions had too many players past their prime, suggesting they are a shadow of what they used to be.
Since the international break, this team have disproven those claims, earning points in five consecutive league fixtures to put themselves back in the playoff conversation.
Giovanni Savarese did not mince words about their thoughts on Seattle winning the CONCACAF Champions League, saying they were "pissed" that their Pacific rivals took home the title.
His players on Saturday played with an edge and determination when raining on the Sounders title parade, putting three past them in a 3-0 triumph, vaulting into the overall lead for the Cascadia Cup with six points, three more than Seattle.
A victory on Sunday would add to that lead, and the Timbers come into this upcoming fixture with wins in three of their last four home games, scoring 12 goals over that span.
The Caps had to scratch and claw back numerous times this week against a potent offensive unit, but in the end, they came away with a well-deserved single point at FC Cincinnati (2-2).
Not only was that the third time in the last four games that this club had picked up a point away from home, but they also became the first team in MLS history to score a game-tying goal in the first five minutes and the final 10 minutes of a match.
When you think of some of the most iconic comebacks this team have had under manager Vanni Sartini, many fans will immediately remember what happened last year in Portland.
The Caps trailed the home side 2-0 at the interval on that day before their coach gave a rousing half-time speech which seemed to spark this group, as they scored three unanswered goals to triumph 3-2.
One thing we are seeing a great deal of with them at the moment is creativity and flow on the field, as they seem to look a lot more poised on the ball while making smarter decisions in the attack.
While they have put themselves back into playoff contention, the injuries are beginning to pile up for this team, so that depth could really be tested this weekend.
Even though they have managed to settle into a number of their road fixtures, Sartini would rather not have to see his team chasing games so often away from home, conceding an opening goal within the first 15 minutes on six separate occasions in 2021.
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Team News
The Timbers have outscored their opponents 11-4 on their current unbeaten run as five players have found the back of the net, including Sebastian Blanco, Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Santiago Moreno, Yimmi Chara, Dairon Asprilla.
Aljaz Ivacic made five saves last Saturday to collect his fifth shutout of the year, while Bill Tuiloma is without a goal since late May.
Eryk Williamson will sit this one out because of yellow card accumulation, while Diego Gutierrez (foot) and Blake Bodily (hamstring) could be out through injuries.
Ryan Gauld and Cristian Dajome each tallied in their draw versus Cincy on Wednesday, while Dajome also assisted on their opener, moving him ahead of Deiber Caicedo for the team lead and Tosaint Ricketts collected his first assist of the campaign on their equalising goal.
Caicedo and Dajome each found the back of the net in their comeback victory at Portland last year, with Brian White tallying one in between, while Lucas Cavallini has had a lovely bounce-back season, leading them in goals this season with six.
The Caps have acquired Julian Gressel from DC United in exchange for $600,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) plus another $300,000 in GAM incentives.
Sartini will be dealing with numerous players out of the lineup this weekend as Sebastian Berhalter (right foot stress fracture), Caicedo (right knee meniscus surgery), Andres Cubas (left adductor discomfort) and Cristian Gutierrez (left calf) are all suffering through injuries at the moment.
The list does not end there, though, as Thomas Hasal (left hand, sprained finger), Luis Martins (left calf strain), Marcus Godinho (left knee) are going through injuries as well, while Javain Brown and Cody Cropper were forced off the field on Wednesday due to concussion protocol.
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Ivacic; Bravo, Zuparic, Tuiloma, Van Rankin; D. Chara, Paredes; Y. Chara, Blanco, Moreno; Niezgoda
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Cropper; Blackmon, Nerwinski, Godoy; Dajome, Teibert, Owusu, Raposo; Gauld; Cavallini, White
We say: Portland Timbers 3-1 Vancouver Whitecaps
The Timbers look like a different team since the international break and are playing with a lot more fire than we saw at the start of the season, proving that they are still a tough team to play against.
With Cubas likely sidelined for this encounter, that should allow the Timbers to play through the middle a lot easier and find their share of scoring opportunities, which we believe will be enough to earn them three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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