Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders Match Preview | OneFootball

One of the biggest rivalries in MLS is back this weekend as Portland Timbers host Seattle Sounders. The Timbers are fighting to get into the playoffs while the Sounders are spiraling and desperately hanging onto their spot. The reverse fixture in Seattle actually happened just two weeks ago with Portland emerging as 5-1 winners. Can the Sounders get revenge on the road?

Match Details

Who: Portland Timbers vs. Seattle SoundersWhat: MLS Regular SeasonWhere: Providence Park, Portland, OregonWhen: Saturday August 1, 10:45 PM ET / 7:45 PM PTWatch: FS1, Apple TV

Timbers Want Repeat Of Thrashing In Seattle

It wasn’t an ideal first half of the season for Portland Timbers. They only accumulated 14 points in 15 games and sat well outside the playoff spots. However, the World Cup break seems to have given them new life. Portland is undefeated in their three matches since the season resumed with two of those being wins. The first of those wins? A 5-1 beatdown of their bitter rivals Seattle Sounders, who now come to Oregon this weekend.

The goals have been flying in for Portland since the break. They’ve scored nine over their last three games, most of those coming from their strikers. One of those is Felipe Mora, who scored a brace in last week’s 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake. Unfortunately for the Timbers, that was Mora’s last game for them. He just joined Liga MX side Atlético de San Luis. Luckily, Portland has Kevin Kelsy back available. Kelsy scored a brace in the 5-1 win over Seattle and then again in their 2-2 draw with FC Dallas before missing the RSL game with an injury. He’s back in training and will likely play a role this weekend.

Sounders Flounder As Struggles Continue

The Seattle Sounders were in a great place before the World Cup break. Ever since then, it’s been a full-blown nightmare. Seattle came back from their time off and immediately lost to this Portland team 5-1 at home. They then proceeded to lose to the second-worst teams in both conferences, falling to Austin FC and Philadelphia Union. The Sounders are now tasked with stopping their slump against their biggest rival on the road.

Part of Seattle’s problem has been the long injury list. They currently have nine players listed as out or questionable on the player availability report. That includes the heart and soul of the team, Cristian Roldan, who has clearly been missed while recovering from the injury he suffered during USMNT camp. The Sounders have been forced to rely on youngsters from their second team in key areas and as expected, it has not gone well. They will get starting center back Jackson Ragen back from suspension, but his normal partner Yeimar is still out. It’ll be a hodgepodge lineup once again for Seattle.

Match Prediction

Portland just beat this Sounders team 5-1 two weeks ago and that match was in Seattle. Now that they’ll be in front of their home fans, it’s hard to predict anything other than a Timbers win here. I don’t think it’ll be as extreme of a margin but it might get close.

Prediction: Portland Timbers 4-1 Seattle Sounders