On Wednesday, the Portland Timbers will host Nashville SC at Providence Park in a battle between two teams currently holding the final two playoff positions in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer with a kickoff at 5:30 am.
The Timbers earned a single point over the weekend in an entertaining 4-4 draw against Minnesota United. Despite his side’s shortcomings in recent matches, manager Giovanni Savarese has not been happy about the giveaways they have conceded lately, as Portland has been caught out in transition multiple times.
Their goal one minute into the match this past weekend was the first time they had scored in the opening half since an emphatic 3-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on March 31st, their last match before an international break.
In another low-scoring affair, Nashville earned one point this past weekend as they failed to hang onto an early advantage at home to the Vancouver Whitecaps.
For a team that prides itself on its defensive play, it’s rather uncharacteristic to see them struggle to maintain these advantages. They’ve left 12 points on the table when leading in the second half.
Gary Smith’s team has relied heavily on their star German striker to provide them with goals, while they have struggled to give him much support off late by scoring only once over five successive matches.
Portland Timbers vs. Nashville Head to Head
Both sides have two games against each other, with the hosts taking one win while the visitors remain winless. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Minnesota 4-4 Portland
- Portland 2-1 San Jose
- Portland 1-1 Vancouver
- Seattle 0-3 Portland
Away
- Nashville 1-1 Vancouver
- Cincinnati 1-1 Nashville
- Nashville 1-2 Los Angeles FC
- Nashville 1-0 Seattle
Portland Timbers Team News
Sebastian Blanco became the first Timbers player to score multiple goals against Minnesota in consecutive matches, netting a brace in his last two games against the Loons. His strike 13 seconds into their previous encounter was the fifth-fastest in MLS history.
Nashville Team News
Shaquell Moore made his debut for the USMNT in their last match, playing just over an hour before being replaced by Eric Miller. Alex Muyl missed their last match due to a yellow card suspension, Ake Loba is questionable with a trunk issue, and Anibal Godoy has a thigh injury.
Prediction and Odds
With the standings so tight, we do not expect either team to take too many chances, seeing as they are both currently above the playoff line.
- Draw
- Double Chance
- Goals Under 3.5
