Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 24
Providence Park — Providence
August 11 - 11 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1/4, ESPN+

A Cascadia rivalry is renewed Saturday night when the Portland Timbers put their 15-match unbeaten streak on the line against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Providence Park.

The Timbers are 7-0-3 at home this year following a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Union last Saturday, while the 'Caps have drawn their last two matches, including 2-2 against Toronto FC in the opening leg of the Canadian Championship final Wednesday night.

The Timbers have won four of their last five MLS matches against the Whitecaps (1L). They scored multiple goals in all four wins.

Portland Timbers

After consecutive draws, it’s now back-to-back wins for Portland (10-3-7), which defeated the Union, 3-0, Saturday night.

Diego Valeri opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 58th minute and Dairon Asprilla followed suit with his own conversion in the 84th minute. David Guzman put the finishing touches on a tidy win his first goal of the season three minutes from full time.

“These rivalry matches are the ones that bring something extra to the game so definitely motivated, excited, the players definitely are ready already from today looking forward to the weekend,” Giovanni Savarese said. “It will be great to play against a rival team like Vancouver.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Eryk Williamson (left thigh injury)

Projected Starting XI
(3-5-2, right to left)
GK: Jeff Attinella — Larrys Mabiala, Lawrence Olum, Julio Cascante — Alvas Powell, Diego Chara, David Guzman, Sebastian Blanco, Zarek Valentin — Diego Valeri, Samuel Armenteros

Notes: Guzmán completed 64 of his 66 pass attempts last weekend against Philadelphia. His 97.0% passing accuracy is tied for the seventh highest of any player this season and tied for the fourth highest in the club’s MLS history (both min. 60 pass attempts). … Portland are undefeated in their last 15 league games, tied for the sixth-longest such streak in MLS history and the longest since the Red Bulls went 18 straight unbeaten from July 2016 to March 2017.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Vancouver (8-9-6) played a second straight 2-2 draw when the game was decided in the final moments, but this time the Whitecaps were on the receiving end of the late equalizer in a tie with Toronto in the first leg of the Canadian Championship final at BC Place.

Kei Kamara opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 24th minute, but Jonathan Osorio leveled two minutes later. The score remained that way until the 84th minute when Erik Hurtado scored late for the second straight game. But the 'Caps were done in by a Doneil Henry own goal deep in second-half stoppage time.

“Absolutely terrific,” was Carl Robinson’s take on his team’s battling performance. “Especially in the second half where we showed unbelievable character, unbelievable discipline, and I’m disappointed we only scored one goal when our counterattacking was phenomenal, and then we get a kick in the teeth at the end with an own goal.”

Suspended: M - Efrain Juarez
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Jordon Mutch (right foot injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Stefan Marinovic — Sean Franklin, Aly Ghazal, Aaron Maund, Brett Levis — Bernie Ibini-Isei, Felipe, Russell Teibert, Brek Shea — Nicolas Mezquida, Erik Hurtado

Notes: Last weekend marked the fourth team in the club’s MLS history that the Whitecaps scored two goals in a MLS match despite holding less than 30% possession in a match. … The Whitecaps have lost six of their last nine road games in MLS play (1W-2D). They have conceded 2.6 goals per game in that time.

All-Time Series

Overall: Portland Timbers 10 wins, 35 goals … Vancouver Whitecaps FC 4 wins, 26 goals … 6 draws
At Portland: Timbers 6 wins, 21 goals … Whitecaps 1 win, 13 goals … 4 draws
Last meeting at Portland: Portland Timbers 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1 (Oct. 22, 2017)