Under new management, the Portland Timbers return to Providence Park searching for their first MLS victory since the season paused for the Leagues Cup as they host the Vancouver Whitecaps in another Cascadia Cup clash on Saturday.
The Timbers were routed 5-0 by the Houston Dynamo last Sunday, putting them five points back of the Western Conference playoff line, while Vancouver had a two-match winning run at home snapped, losing 1-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes.
Match preview
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It is no secret that the past year and a half in Portland has been well below the high standards we have come to expect from this club, and after a five-goal loss versus Houston, the front office decided that changes were finally needed.
That defeat against the Dynamo was the worst one for this franchise in the regular season since 2015 (5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy) and proved to be the last game for Giovanni Savarese as manager, with the Venezuelan being let go after being in charge of the Timbers since 2018.
It is now up to Miles Joseph to restore some confidence in a team currently tied with Austin FC for the most goals conceded in the Western Conference this season (38).
The Timbers have points in back-to-back MLS home games, putting three past the Columbus Crew in their final domestic outing before the Leagues Cup, winning 3-2.
With just 26 points from their opening 24 regular-season encounters, it is the lowest total the Timbers have accumulated at this stage of a Major League Soccer campaign since 2012 (21).
It goes without saying that with only 10 matches remaining, five points to make up, and three teams to catch, the 2023 Timbers have their work cut out for them if they are to avoid missing the playoffs on consecutive occasions for the first time since their opening two MLS campaigns (2011 and 2012).
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The Whitecaps did everything but score last Sunday against the Quakes, firing eight shots at Daniel, but they were unable to beat the San Jose keeper, who stole three valuable points for his side in the postseason battle.
That was only the third time all season that Vancouver had failed to walk away with anything from a regular season fixture at BC Place Stadium, but they are still in control of their playoff destiny, though the margin for error is much narrower, with Dallas just a point behind them in 10th.
Beginning on Saturday, this team faces a brutal stretch of matches that is bound to test their mettle more than ever this season, with their following seven domestic fixtures taking place away from home.
How they fare over this road trip could very well determine whether Vanni Sartini's men qualify for the postseason for the second time in three years, and so far in 2023, the Caps have only claimed one victory away from home while also claiming a single point three times.
Vancouver have conceded multiple goals in all but one of their MLS road fixtures this year when they played Austin FC to a 0-0 draw back in April.
They have lost three of their previous five visits to Providence Park, including earlier this year when they suffered a 3-1 defeat, with their last victory in Portland coming in 2021 when Vancouver erased a 2-0 deficit with three unanswered goals in the second half to win 3-2.
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Team News
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Zac McGraw will be questionable for Portland this weekend due to an illness, Marvin Loria was granted an excused absence for their match against Houston, Santiago Moreno sat out with a right ankle problem, Eryk Williamson was sidelined for that clash due to a right knee issue, David Ayala sat out with a left knee injury and Diego Chara is eligible to return from his previous yellow card suspension.
In their last MLS home fixture, a brace from Dairon Asprilla and a goal 10 minutes from the end by Sebastian Blanco enabled the Timbers to edge Columbus, ending what was at the time a five-match winless run for them in this competition.
The last times they faced the Whitecaps at Providence Park, all four of the goals scored came from the Timbers, with Evander collecting two, Franck Boli had the opener, while an own-goal courtesy of Zac McGraw was all the visitors could manage on the day.
Caps' reserve goalkeeper Thomas Hasal has patellar tendinopathy, a source of anterior knee pain, and Luis Martins is likely to miss this encounter because of a left calf injury.
Richie Laryea made his Whitecaps debut last Sunday, playing the opening 45 minutes before being replaced by his Canadian teammate Sam Adekugbe, who made his first appearance for the club since returning from a spell in Turkey at Galatasaray.
Ryan Gauld and Brian White failed to score or contribute a goal last Sunday for the first time in an MLS fixture since their 3-0 defeat at Sporting Kansas City, though White had the only goal when they defeated the Timbers on home soil earlier this year (1-0) as Yohei Takaoka did not face a single shot and collected a clean sheet.
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Ivacic; Mosquera, Araujo, Mabiala, Bravo; Blanco, Acosta, Evander; Asprilla, Boli, Mora
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Takaoka; Adekugbe, Veselinovic, Blackmon; Cubas, Laryea, Berhalter, Schopf, Vite; White, Gauld
We say: Portland Timbers 1-1 Vancouver Whitecaps
We often see the best version of a side in the early tenure of a new manager, but although the Timbers should be very determined to make a statement following that lopsided defeat a week ago, the Caps' desperation and resilience we believe will be enough to earn them a result.
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Top tip
Joel Lefevre
