Portland Timbers vs Colorado Rapids

Providence Park is the venue as familiar Major League Soccer adversaries Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids go head-to-head in a top-half Western Conference showdown.

Bidding to better last season’s 9th-place finish in the Western Conference, Portland Timbers head into this round in 6th, albeit amidst a torrid three-game winless league run (D2, L1). Profligate in front of goal, Phil Neville’s side failed to find the net twice in those three matches, while they’ve not scored more than once in their last five. Despite their unenviable scoring record, the Timbers have only lost once in seven home league outings this season (W3, D3), courtesy of an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps in the opening match at Providence Park. They’ve since alternated between winning (3) and drawing (3) in six subsequent home league games, most recently sharing the spoils with Seattle Sounders in a 1-1 stalemate a fortnight ago.

Unlike their hosts, Colorado Rapids should take the field in high spirits after beating St Louis City and Real Salt Lake via an identical 1-0 scoreline in the last two MLS rounds. Manager Chris Armas couldn’t have hoped for a better response after overseeing no win in five previous league matches (D2, L3), though his side still lacks conviction in the final third. Indeed, the visitors have failed to score more than once in their last six games, not to mention they lost 3-0 in their most recent H2H with Portland. The Timbers have been a thorn in Colorado’s side, beating them in their last three league meetings at this stadium, with Armas’ team conceding 3+ goals on each occasion.