Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes | MLS Match Preview

A key contest for a pair of teams right at the red line in the Western Conference is ahead when the Portland Timbers play host to the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday evening at Providence Park. The Timbers return home following a 1-1 draw at the Chicago Fire over the weekend that left four points behind the top six in the conference. The Quakes hit the road after a scoreless draw with FC Dallas at Avaya Stadium, one of three times tied right at the red line. The teams are meeting for a third time this season, each having won once on their home ground.

REFEREE: Chris Penso. AR1 (bench): Jeremy Hanson; AR2 (opposite): Mike Rottersman; 4th: Tyler Ploeger

MLS Career: 85 games; FC/gm: 23.9; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 28; pens: 30

SUSPENDED: none

SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: SJ: Anibal Godoy

SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: POR: Alvas Powell … SJ: Fatai Alashe

DISABLED LIST: none

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: POR: Darlington Nagbe (USA; Copa America); Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica; Copa America) … SJ: Chris Wondolowski (USA; Copa America); Simon Dawkins (Jamaica; Copa America); Anibal Godoy, Alberto Quintero (Panama; Copa America); Kip Colvey (New Zealand; OFC Nations Cup)

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL-TIME (15 meetings): Timbers 6 wins, 23 goals … Earthquakes 2 wins, 16 goals … Ties 7

AT PORTLAND (8 meetings): Timbers 5 wins, 15 goals … Earthquakes 0 wins, 7 goals … Ties 3

2016 (MLS):

3/13: SJ 2, POR 1 (Wondolowski 30; Amarikwa 46+ -- McInerney 89)

4/16: POR 3, SJ 1 (McInerney 52; Adi 65, 99+ -- Wondolowski 91+)

• The teams are meeting for the third time this season, each winning on their home ground in the first two. Chris Wondolowski and Quincy Amarikwa netted first-half goals to lead the Quakes to a 2-1 win March 13 at Avaya Stadium, their first victory in the series since 2013, snapping a five-game winless streak. On April 16 at Providence Park, Fanendo Adi scored a pair of goals as the Timbers claimed a 3-1 victory.
• The Timbers have won five of eight meetings between the teams in Portland, with three draws, including the last three meetings there. The Timbers’ 2-1 victory Oct. 4, 2014 in Santa Clara was the first by a visiting team in the all-time league series.
• Coaches record: Dominic Kinnear vs. POR: P9 W3 L3 D3 … Caleb Porter vs. SJ: P10 W5 L2 D3

LAST MEETING (MLS):

• The Timbers took the lead in the 52nd minute. After winning the ball in the midfield, then winning it again in the area with a slide tackle in the penalty area, Jack McInerney tucked a short-range effort just inside the far post.
• The advantage was doubled 13 minutes later when second-half substitute Fanendo Adi found the back of the net on a counter attack.
• The Quakes were able to pull a goal back one minute into stoppage time when Chris Wondolowski won a penalty kick then converted himself.
• After Diego Valeri was sent off with a second yellow card, the Timbers again hit home on a counterattack sprung by Lucas Melano on the right, Adi again finishing it off nine minutes deep into stoppage time to seal the outcome.
• PORTLAND TIMBERS (4-2-3-1): Adam Larsen Kwarasey (Jake Gleeson 50) - Zarek Valentin, Nat Borchers, Jermaine Taylor, Chris Klute - Diego Chara, Ned Grabavoy (Jack Jewsbury 85) - Lucas Melano, Diego Valeri (ejected 96+), Darren Mattocks (Fanendo Adi 63) - Jack McInerney.
• -AN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (4-4-2): David Bingham - Kofi Sarkodie, Victor Bernardez, Andres Imperiale, Kip Colvey - Alberto Quintero (Shea Salinas 71), Fatai Alashe (Matias Perez Garcia 82), Anibal Godoy, Simon Dawkins - Chris Wondolowski, Quincy Amarikwa (Innocent Emeghara 71).

MLS Injury Report
MLS Disciplinary Summary