The Portland Timbers have a chance to clinch their first Cascadia Cup title since 2017 with a victory on Friday at Providence versus the Seattle Sounders.
Both teams are tied at 33 points, one point behind the Los Angeles Galaxy for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer.
Match preview
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From a team that looked to have everything going their way, the Timbers playoff push has experienced a pair of unexpected setbacks, losing back-to-back games after going unbeaten in 10 straight fixtures.
Those two defeats have by no means killed their chances of qualifying for the postseason but seeing as it was against a pair of non-playoff teams in Toronto (3-1) and Sporting Kansas City (4-1), it could prove costly given how tight the standings are at the moment.
It feels like Giovanni Savarese's men were guilty of looking a little too far ahead at their upcoming schedule as they have a difficult stretch of games in the future, wrapping up the month of August with matches against the Sounders and then on the road at Austin FC.
Over their two-game slide, the Timbers have conceded 21 shots on target, while allowing as many goals over that stretch as they had in their previous four matches combined.
While they have conceded their share of goals in recent outings, Portland have also managed to put away some opportunities, scoring in 13 consecutive encounters, tallying 23 times over that stretch.
They will be happy to know that three of their next four fixtures will take place at Providence Park, where the Timbers are unbeaten in their previous six outings, conceding a goal or fewer in each of those games.
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Seattle took a couple of first-half blows against the Galaxy last Friday but managed to fight back after the interval before conceding an injury-time goal in a thrilling 3-3 draw in Los Angeles.
After winning their opening match of August 1-0 over Dallas, the Rave Green have only earned one point from their last three encounters as they remain below the playoff line, a place this team have been throughout much of the campaign.
The Sounders are winless in their previous five away fixtures, having conceded 34 goals this year, which is one more than they allowed in the 2021 regular season.
Brian Schmetzer and his team have eight games to try and avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since they became a part of this league.
Lately they have not fared well near the tail end of a regular season, winning just two of their final eight matches played last year and only three of their last eight in 2020.
They have conceded the opening goal in three consecutive encounters, winning four matches this year in that scenario while also losing three games in which they tallied first.
While it is unexpected to see this group having to battle for a playoff berth this late into the season, their schedule the rest of the way is somewhat favourable as only two of their remaining fixtures are against teams currently in a top seven position in either the Eastern or Western Conference.
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Team News
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Sebastian Blanco scored his sixth of the campaign for Portland in a loss to SKC, the fifth time he has reached that mark during his Timbers career, Dairon Asprilla tallied his first assist of the year, while Yimmi Chara started and played for the 27th time in 2022 as he and Santiago Moreno are the only players to appear in every match for them so far this season.
Bill Tuiloma came on as a second-half substitute last weekend, replacing Jose Van Rankin, earning his 100th MLS cap, joining Blanco, Diego Chara, David Bingham and Larrys Mabiala as the only active players on the roster to achieve that milestone.
Diego Gutierrez is listed as questionable for this encounter because of a right foot problem, Felipe Mora has a left knee strain and Nathan Fogaca is out with a right ankle injury.
Raul Ruidiaz had a goal and an assist for Seattle in their draw versus LA, while Kelyn Rowe and Jordan Morris also found the back of the net, with Nicolas Lodeiro picking up his team-leading sixth assist of the campaign last weekend.
Fredy Montero and Ruidiaz have both scored seven times in their career against Portland as they each notched a brace in a 7-2 victory at Providence Park last year.
The Sounders are hoping to have Cristian Roldan back this weekend after he missed their match in LA due to a problem in his groin, Andrew Thomas and Obed Vargas are out with lower back stress fractures and Joao Paulo is gone for the season with a right ACL tear.
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Ivacic; Bravo, Zuparic, Tuiloma, Van Rankin; Moreno, Paredes, D. Chara, Y. Chara; Blanco; Niezgoda
Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; Tolo, Arreaga, Gomez, A. Roldan; Rowe, Medranda, Rusnak; C. Roldan; Ruidiaz, Morris
We say: Portland Timbers 1-2 Seattle Sounders
These teams have split the last four meetings between them, with the road team winning each time, and given how poor the Timbers have looked defensively of late, we expect the Sounders to be a little more clinical in the attacking third, especially with Ruidiaz seemingly back in form.
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