Portland Timbers vs. Montreal Impact | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Portland Timbers vs. Montreal Impact
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 21
Providence Park — Portland
July 21 - 11 pm ET
WATCH: TVAS, ESPN+

The Portland Timbers tasted defeat for the first time since early April when they fell to LAFC, 3-2, in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals Wednesday night at Banc of California Stadium, but they still have a 12-match league unbeaten streak that will be tested by the Montreal Impact Saturday night.

Montreal have won five of their last six league games and defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 1-0, in the opening leg of the Canadian Championship semifinals on Wednesday. All but one of those victories were at Stade Saputo. They’ve won just twice away from home, while the Timbers are unbeaten in seven matches at Providence Park.

The Impact have won three of their six games against the Timbers (2L-1D), including a 4-1 win in their matchup last season, per Opta.

Portland Timbers

After playing to a scoreless draw in league play on Sunday, the Timbers (8-3-6) dropped a 3-2 decision to LAFC Wednesday night.

A David Guzman own goal put the hosts in front in the 33rd minute and Carlos Vela doubled the lead five minutes later. Julio Cascante pulled Portland to within a goal in first-half stoppage time. Marco Urena and Vytas exchanged goals one minute apart early in the second half, but the Timbers couldn’t find the equalizer.

“I think both teams wanted to win; both teams went the length of the field to battle, to try to get the result that could send us through, because we knew that we were so close to be able to get to the final,” Giovanni Savarese said. “I think the intensity was high, and I thought it was a very good game.”

Suspended: M - Diego Chara
Suspended after next caution: D - Larrys Mabiala
International duty: None
Injury Report: QUESTIONABLE: D - Roy Miller (left Achilles tendon injury), M - Cristhian Paredes (right thigh injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-2-1, right to left)
GK: Jeff Attinella — Alvas Powell, Larrys Mabiala, Julio Cascante, Zarek Valentin — Andres Flores, Lawrence Olum, Andy Polo— Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco — Samuel Armenteros

Notes: Samuel Armenteros is averaging 0.76 goals per 90 this season. Among players that have played at least 700 minutes this year, only five players have a better scoring rate. … Portland enter this weekend unbeaten in their last 12 MLS matches (9W-3D), their longest stretch since setting a franchise record by going 15 straight without a loss in 2013.

Montreal Impact

Alejandro Silva scored the game’s lone goal in the 58th minute as the Impact captured the first leg of the Canadian Championship semifinals on Wednesday.

Anthony Jackson-Hamel put a glancing header off the post in the 24th minute and then hit the crossbar in the 62nd minute before having a goal called back for offside in the 70th minute. It was the second straight match the Impact (9-12-0) celebrated a clean sheet, after blanking San Jose, 2-0, in league play last Saturday.

“Of course I would have preferred to score the second one to have a bigger advantage before going over there because we know [BC Place] can be a tough place, but then I had to manage as well the game that we have to play in Portland in three days,” Remi Garde said. “It’s halftime, we didn’t concede any goal. If we have the chance to score one over there it will be important for us.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Chris Duvall
International duty: None
Injury Report: None

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Evan Bush — Chris Duvall, Rudy Camacho, Jukka Raitala, Daniel Lovitz — Ken Krolicki, Samuel Piette, Saphir Taider — Alejandro Silva, Matteo Mancosu, Ignacio Piatti

Notes: Three of Saphir Taïder’s four goals this season have come in his last three appearances. … Montreal have won five of their last six games (1L), keeping four clean sheets – as many as they had in their previous 27 MLS matches.

All-Time Series

Overall: Portland Timbers 2 wins, 8 goals … Montreal Impact 3 wins, 12 goals … 1 draw
At Portland: Timbers 0 wins, 2 goals … Impact 1 win, 3 goals … 1 draw
Last meeting at Portland: Portland Timbers 1, Montreal Impact 1 (July 13, 2016)