PORTLAND TIMBERS vs. REAL SALT LAKE
PROVIDENCE PARK, Portland, Oregon
March 19, 2016 (WEEK 3, MLS GAME #27)
10:30 pm ET (MLS LIVE, FOX 12, KMYU)
A meeting of Western Conference playoff contenders is ahead when the Portland Timbers play host to Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening at Providence Park. The Timbers suffered their first defeat in defense of their MLS Cup title last weekend, falling 2-1 on the road at the San Jose Earthquakes. Real are undefeated on the new season, winning in their home opener last weekend with a 2-1 victory against Seattle Sounders FC.
- The Timbers suffered their first defeat in defense of their MLS Cup title from a year ago, falling 2-1 at the San Jose Earthquakes, as Jack McInerney scored his first goal in his first match with the club.
- Joao Plata set up both goals as Real Salt Lake won for the first time in 2016, opening their home campaign with a 2-1 win against Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday afternoon at Rio Tinto Stadium. Plata has played a part in all four RSL goals this season, after scoring both goals in the season-opening 2-2 draw at Orlando City SC.
- The teams met three times a season ago – and just two goals were scored, both by the Timbers. Portland took a pair of 1-0 wins at Rio Tinto Stadium, on Aug. 15 and Oct. 14; the clubs reached a scoreless draw in the season opener at Providence Park.
- The Timbers have won the last three meetings at Rio Tinto Stadium, their only wins ever in Utah. The only Portland home win vs. Real Salt Lake came in the first meeting ever, in 2011; the last four league meetings in Portland have all been draws, with the last three all finishing goalless.
REFEREE: Hilario Grajeda. AR1 (bench): Ian Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Mike Rottersman; 4th: Baboucarr Jallow
MLS Career: 122 games; FC/gm: 24.2; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 20; pens: 20
SUSPENDED: none
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: RSL: MF Danilo Acosta
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (14 meetings): Timbers 4 wins, 15 goals … Real 5 wins, 18 goals … Ties 5
AT PORTLAND (6 meetings): Timbers 1 win, 6 goals … Real 1 win, 6 goals … Ties 4
RETURN MATCHES: 6/18: Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers, 8 p.m. MT; 9/10: Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m. PT
LAST YEAR (MLS):
3/7: POR 0, RSL 0
8/15: RSL 0, POR 1 (Borchers 95+)
10/14: RSL 0, POR 1 (Adi 54)
- The teams met three times a season ago – and just two goals were scored, both by the Timbers. Portland took a pair of 1-0 wins at Rio Tinto Stadium, on Aug. 15 and Oct. 14; the clubs reached a scoreless draw in the season opener at Providence Park.
- The Timbers have won the last three meetings at Rio Tinto Stadium, their only wins ever in Utah. The only Portland home win vs. Real Salt Lake came in the first meeting ever, in 2011; the last four league meetings in Portland have all been draws, with the last three all finishing goalless.
- Coaches record: Jeff Cassar vs. POR: P6 W1 L3 D2 … Caleb Porter vs. RSL: P9 W3 L2 D4
