Preview:Portland Timbers vs San Diego - prediction, team news, lineups

On the final matchday of the MLS regular season, the Portland Timbers are looking to secure their spot in the playoffs against high-flying San Diego FC at Providence Park on Saturday night.

The Timbers need just one point to guarantee a top-seven finish, while SDFC are already through.

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Match preview

Phil Neville's Portland finished ninth in the 2024 league season and missed out on a serious playoff run at the end of what was a disappointing campaign.

However, with a perfectly-balanced 11 wins, 11 draws and 11 defeats so far this term, the Timbers find themselves seventh in the Western Conference with just one game to play.

Last time out, Neville's side were beaten 1-0 by Seattle Sounders on the road, a frustrating result that means the former Everton star's team have won just one of their 10 most recent matches across all competitions.

With that in mind, it would be fair to say that Portland have struggled in the summer-to-autumn transition period, and with two draws and two losses from their last four MLS clashes, they are only three points ahead of eighth-placed Dallas going into this weekend's closer.

Knowing that another defeat could see their season's work squandered, the Timbers will take heart from the fact that they have won three of their five most recent games at Providence Park and have lost only twice on their own turf since February.

Meanwhile, Mikey Varas's San Diego have enjoyed an excellent inaugural campaign in the Western Conference, and they are hoping to secure second place this weekend.

On October 5, SDFC bounced back from a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the San Jose Earthquakes to take all three points in a 4-2 triumph on the road against Houston Dynamo.

That victory has Varas's men second in the table, where their tally of 60 points positions them three behind top-of-the-pile Vancouver Whitecaps but just one ahead of Los Angeles FC, as well as two above fourth-placed Minnesota United.

Unfortunately for San Diego, first is realistically out of reach given the 10-goal-difference gap between themselves and the leaders, so the best they can do this weekend is stay in front of the chasing duo.

With that goal in mind, the visitors will lean on their immense travelling record that features five wins and one draw from their last six away clashes, though they kept just two clean sheets in that stretch,

Additionally, SDFC will be aware of the fact that they are yet to beat the Timbers in either of their battles this year, losing 3-0 back in February before a 0-0 stalemate in late August, and they will need to be careful despite their opponents' lacklustre form.

Portland Timbers Major League Soccer form:

San Diego Major League Soccer form:

San Diego form (all competitions):

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Team News

Portland have a lengthy absentee list to contend with this weekend, as goalkeeper James Pantemis is out with a head injury, while left-back Jimer Fory is a doubt with a hip injury, and centre-backs Zac McGraw and Dario Zuparic are doubts due to back injuries.

If none of the above are available, then Finn Surman and Kamal Miller could start at centre-half once again, flanked by Juan David Mosquera and Ian Smith at full-back and shielding shot-stopper Maxime Crepeau.

Elsewhere, Felipe Carballo is out with a muscle injury - fellow midfielder Matias Rojas is a doubt - and forward Jonathan Rodriguez continues to work his way back into contention having last featured in May, so expect to see David Ayala alongside Cristhian Paredes in a double pivot, with Kristoffer Velde and Antony Alves out wide.

As for San Diego, they are short at right-back due to injuries to Oscar Verhoeven and Leo Duru, though the latter is only a doubt and is close to a return, and Aiden Joshua Harangi is likely to start this weekend.

At the opposite end of the pitch, 17-year-old forward Anisse Saidi is out due to a muscle injury, while striker Marcus Ingvartsen is out until later this month, so Corey Baird could start up top, supported by Anders Dreyer and Hirving Lozano from out wide.

Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:

Crepeau; Mosquera, Surman, Miller, Smith; Ayala, Paredes; Velde, Da Costa, Alves; Kelsy

San Diego possible starting lineup:

Dos Santos; Harangi, McVey, Duah, Negri; Godoy, Tverskov, Valakari; Dreyer, Baird, Lozano

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We say: Portland Timbers 1-3 San Diego

 

Portland have more at stake this weekend, and they will be desperate to secure their place in the playoffs with at least one point.

However, San Diego have been incredibly strong away from home, and they could make the Timbers sweat.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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