Saturday will feature a 2021 MLS Western Conference semi-final rematch as the Portland Timbers host the Colorado Rapids at Providence Park.
Last season's league runners-up managed to end a three-game losing streak last week, drawing the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-1, while the Burgundy Boys picked up their second away point of the campaign by playing to a 1-1 tie with New York City FC.
Match preview
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Portland are getting healthier, and that is music to the ears of manager Giovanni Savarese, who has had to constantly shuffle his lineup, which has impacted their team chemistry.
The Timbers might have only come away with a single point last week, but given how poorly they have performed to this point of the campaign, second from the bottom with 16 points, they will take anything they can get.
Aside from an emphatic 7-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the middle of May, we have not seen much quality from them in the attacking third on home soil, scoring a goal or fewer in five of their seven fixtures.
Things may look bleak right now for the reigning Western Conference champions, but Portland can look to last season for motivation, as it was around this stage of the 2021 campaign when their fortunes began to turn, losing only two encounters between week 17 and 28.
They also have a favourable home record against the Rapids, suffering only two regular-season defeats against them at Providence Park in 12 previous encounters.
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After finishing on top of the Western Conference regular-season standings for the first time in franchise history last year, Colorado have not been able to maintain that consistent form in 2022.
Throughout this campaign, most of their results have come with a feeling that they could have achieved something more, failing to win three times this year when scoring first.
On Sunday, The Burgundy Boys came as close as we have seen all season to finally winning a road contest, conceding an equaliser to Talles Magno, four minutes after tallying the opener.
When you look at the scoreboard at the end of their matches, it seems rather simplistic to say they are lacking a number nine, scoring a goal or fewer in six of their previous seven games in all competitions.
That may very well be what is plaguing them, but their playmakers are not creating enough opportunities for them to score, with the Rapids firing one effort on target versus the Pigeons, finishing that match with 0.3 expected goals.
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Team News
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Santiago Moreno and Yimmi Chara are the only players to have featured in every game for the Timbers in 2022, with the latter notching his fifth of the year last weekend, moving him one back of Bill Tuiloma for the team lead in goals.
Felipe Mora, Eryk Williamson, Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Claudio Bravo were all available in their previous encounter after each missing lengthy periods through injury, while Diego Gutierrez remains sidelined with a foot issue.
Sebastian Blanco tallied his team-leading fifth assist of the campaign, while Dairon Asprilla has been without a goal since April, tallying twice so far in 2022.
Michael Barrios scored his first of the year in their draw against New York, and Mark-Anthony Kaye collected his first assist for the Rapids this season.
Diego Rubio leads them with seven goals so far, Lucas Esteves has two assists and Jonathan Lewis has found the back of the net on two occasions.
Robin Fraser could be missing as many as three players because of injury, including Braian Galvan (right knee), Aboubacar Keita (torn ACL right knee) and Oliver Larraz (right leg).
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Ivacic; Bravo, Zuparic, Tuiloma, Van Rankin; Paredes, D. Chara; Y. Chara, Blanco, Williamson; Mora
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Yarbrough; Trusty, Wilson, Abubakar; Esteves, Kaye, Price, Warner; Rubio; Zardes, Barrios
We say: Portland Timbers 1-0 Colorado Rapids
It would sound like a broken record at this stage to say that both of these teams have underachieved to this point of the campaign, but Portland seem to play their best at home, and with plenty of veterans back in the fold, that should give them a psychological boost, which could make a difference heading into this encounter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
