Preview:Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake - prediction, team news, lineups

The eighth playoff spot in the MLS Western Conference is up for grabs when Portland Timbers host Real Salt Lake City on Wednesday, October 22.

The hosts last won the MLS Cup 10 years ago, while the visitors last took the trophy home in 2009, so both will be desperate to end that drought, but they have to first get into the playoffs.

Match preview

A poor run of results in the back end of the regular season condemned the Portland Timbers to this Wild Card game.

Victory for Phil Neville’s men on decision day would have seen them already in the playoffs, but a 4-0 home defeat at the hands of conference winners San Diego left the Timbers facing this one-off knockout fixture.

For the second season in a row, Portland must battle their way into the playoffs, largely thanks to form that has delivered just a solitary victory across their final 10 matches.

Neville’s troops are on a five-game winless run, containing three defeats, and recent history against RSL does not suggest that they will halt that dismal run of results.

It must be noted that the former Everton captain’s record as Portland coach has been dire, with 28 wins and 27 defeats in the 77 matches that he has overseen.

As manager, Neville has faced RSL on four occasions, winning and losing one apiece and drawing two.

The last time these sides met was at Providence Park, where it was the visitors who walked away with a 1-0 win, the worst possible outcome for the hosts.

A draw on the last day was enough for Real Salt Lake to grab a spot in the Wild Card match, getting in by the skin of their teeth, edging the San Jose Earthquakes on a superior number of wins in the season.

It has not been a season to remember for the visitors, who have not finished below seventh in the last four campaigns.

Pablo Mastroeni has done a decent job at the club from his time as an assistant to Freddy Juarez, to then caretaker, and finally getting the position permanently in December 2021.

This season can still be rescued if the Claret and Cobalt can get past the Timbers and create a playoff date against San Diego.

The last five outings have produced indifferent results for RSL, with two wins, two defeats, and that draw on the final day.

However, RSL have been undefeated against Portland in the most recent three head-to-heads, offering significant encouragement for an upset.

Portland Timbers MLS form:

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Real Salt Lake MLS form:

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Team News

Jonathan Rodriguez (knee) and Felipe Carballo (cruciate ligament) are long-term injury issues for coach Neville; meanwhile, Zac McGraw (back) and Finn Surman are doubtful for the trip to Oregon.

Kevin Kelsey is the club’s leading goalscorer with nine, so leading the line will always give the hosts a shot at winning.

In addition, Portland have excellent playmakers, with David Da Costa producing five goals and eight assists, while Brazilian Antony notched up seven goals and five assists this season.

The travelling party have their own issues with a packed out infirmary featuring Jamaican duo, Matthew Bell (hamstring) and Javain Brown (knee), and Americans Jose Bonilla and Zac MacMath, who have both not kicked a ball this season.

There is some good news for Mastroeni in that Alexandros Katranis can return to action this week after serving his one-game suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.

Diego Luna is undoubtedly the man to watch for RSL, as he contributed 10 goals and three assists in his 31 appearances for the club this season.

Victor Olatunji made it four goals from eight games for the visitors when he scored a brace on the final day, making the Nigerian forward crucial for the RSL attack in this Wild Card match.

Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:

Crepaeu; Mosquera, Zuparic, Miller, Smith; Parades, Da Costa, Ayala; Antony, Velde, Kelsy

Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:

Cabral; Yedlin, Ramirez, Glad, Katranis; Caliskan, Ojeda; Gozo, Luna, Goncalves; Olatunji