Portland Timbers vs. Colorado Rapids | MLS Match Preview

Portland Timbers vs. Colorado Rapids - Match Preview Image

PORTLAND TIMBERS vs. COLORADO RAPIDS
Providence Park, Portland, Ore.
October 25, 2015 (WEEK 33, MLS Game #339)
7 pm ET (MLS LIVE/ESPN3)

Now controlling their own destiny, the Portland Timbers will look to ensure their place in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs on Decision Day when they take on the Colorado Rapids at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon. The Timbers made a big step toward securing a place in the top six in the Western Conference with their 5-2 victory at the LA Galaxy last weekend; now theyā€™re in a position where they can finish anywhere from second to sixth in the division with a win or a draw. The Rapids are simply playing for pride as they bring down the curtain on their 2015 campaign, putting an end to a long winless run at midweek with a 2-0 victory at Sporting Kansas City which had huge implications for the playoff race.

  • The Timbers moved to the verge of qualifying for the playoffs after tying their MLS club-record with a 5-2 victory against the LA Galaxy on Sunday afternoon. Fanendo Adi scored a pair of goals to lead the Timbersā€™ rout; their previous occasion of scoring five goals in an MLS game also came at StubHub Center, vs. Chivas USA, to conclude the 2013 season.
  • The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Portlandā€™s Jack Jewsbury scored in stoppage time after Sam Cronin netted a late equalizer for the Rapids, giving the Timbers a 2-1 win May 30 at Dickā€™s Sporting Goods Park.
  • The visiting team had won just once in the all-time series before this year: a 1-0 Rapids victory on June 11, 2011 in Portland. The Timbers have a four-game home winning streak alive vs. Colorado. The Rapids lost to Portland for the first time in Commerce City this year, after winning four of the six meetings all-time at home, with two draws.


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REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. AR1 (bench): Greg Barkey; AR2 (opposite): Mike Rottersman; 4th: Edvin Jurisevic
MLS Career: 206 games; FC/gm: 24.9; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 72; pens: 74


SUSPENDED: POR: Diego Valeri (caution accumulation; through Oct. 25) ā€¦ COL: Sam Cronin (caution accumulation; through Oct. 25)
WARNINGS:
FINED NEXT YELLOW CARD: POR: Diego Chara ā€¦ COL: Lucas Pittinari, James Riley, Marcelo Sarvas, Jared Watts
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none


HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (12 meetings): Timbers 5 wins, 14 goals ā€¦ Rapids 5 wins, 18 goals ā€¦ Ties 2
AT PORTLAND (5 meetings): Timbers 4 wins, 7 goals ā€¦ Rapids 1 win, 2 goals ā€¦ Ties 0


CHECK OUT THE INJURY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
CHECK OUT THE DISCIPLINARY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH