In the ninth round of Major League Soccer fixtures this season, FC Cincinnati and Portland Timbers will do battle at TQL Stadium on Saturday.
The hosts come into the game on the back of their first defeat of the season last time out, while their visitors secured their second win of the campaign last weekend.
Match preview
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After reaching the conference semi-finals stage of the playoffs last season, FC Cincinnati have enjoyed a strong start to the new campaign in their search for a first MLS Cup title, as they currently sit second in the Eastern Conference with 17 points on the board from their opening eight games.
That is despite them suffering a heavy defeat last time out, as the Orange and Blue began with a seven-match unbeaten run, recording five victories along the way, largely thanks to a tight defensive record as they only conceded four goals across those seven games.
The run culminated in consecutive 1-0 victories over Nashville SC, Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union, courtesy of goals from Brandon Vazquez, Yerson Mosquera and Luciano Acosta, leaving Pat Noonan's side at the summit of their division before entering their toughest test of the term thus far away at Western Conference leaders St Louis City last weekend.
That game certainly did not go to plan for the Orange and Black, though, as they went into the interval 3-0 down, a deficit that would be stretched to five goals before Sergio Santos netted a consolation for FC Cincinnati around the hour mark.
Although they may be wounded from that 5-1 thrashing, Noonan's side can still be pleased with their start to the term and will hope to quickly bounce back and remain at the top end of their conference with a victory on Saturday.
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They face a tough test, though, as they take on a Portland Timbers side who travel on the back of a confidence-boosting victory last time out.
Although Giovanni Savarese's side made a winning start to the MLS season at home to Sporting Kansas City, that result did not set the tone for the following run, as they then went six games without putting up another league victory, picking up just two points along the way courtesy of draws with Los Angeles Galaxy and Dallas after consecutive defeats at the hands of Los Angeles FC, St Louis City and Atlanta United.
Following those shares of the points, the Timbers then met Vancouver Whitecaps and suffered a fourth defeat of the term, with Brian White's 74th-minute goal making the only difference between the teams, before they most recently host Seattle Sounders with an increasing need for three points.
Following Raul Ruidiaz's second-half opener for the visitors, Savarese's men went into the final 20 minutes 1-0 down, but they would turn the game on its head in dramatic fashion, initially drawing level through Dairon Asprilla before Nathan Fogaca, Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Juan Mosquera got on the scoresheet in a 4-1 triumph.
Having now put an end to their winless run and avoided being cut adrift at this early stage, Portland Timbers will now turn their focus upwards and look to put a run of positive results together to put themselves in the top seven.
Team News
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FC Cincinnati will remain without midfielder Yuya Kubo due to an injury, while captain Luciano Acosta also missed the St Louis City contest with a shoulder issue and will likely remain confined to the treatment room.
Despite the heavy defeat last time out, Noonan should stick with the back three of Nick Hagglund, Matt Miazga and Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Yerson Mosquera, while Obinna Nwobodo and Marco Angulo will battle to join Junior Moreno in the engine room.
Further forward, Sergio Santos will again play a key role having netted three MLS goals so far this season, while Brandon Vazquez and Arquimides Ordonez will likely complete the attack.
Portland Timbers could come into Saturday's game with an unchanged starting XI following their 4-1 victory last time out, although Nathan Fogaca and Jaroslaw Niezgoda will both be pushing to come in from the outset after scoring off the bench.
Dairon Asprilla also hit his first goal of the season last weekend and will keep his place on the left wing, with Santiago Moreno likely to feature on the other flank, while Diego Chara and David Ayala will operate in the engine room.
Dario Zuparic and Zac McGraw are key men in defence and will again partner up in the middle of a back four.
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Hagglund, Miazga, Mosquera; Arias, Angulo, Moreno, Barreal; Santos; Vazquez, Ordonez
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Ivacic; Mosquera, Zuparic, McGraw, Bravo; Moreno, Chara, Ayala, Asprilla; Fogaca, Niezgoda
We say: FC Cincinnati 2-1 Portland Timbers
FC Cincinnati will be desperate to bounce back from last week's heavy defeat, and although the visitors will travel on a high, we back the Orange and Blue to bounce back to winning ways and continue their eye-catching start to the campaign.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
