(6) Portland Timbers (4,5,3, 15 points) vs (11) Real Salt Lake (3,6,2, 11 points)
Wednesday May 17,2023 KO 6:30 PM PST
Rio Tinto Stadium Sandy, Utah
Portland Timbers Briefly
It certainly looks like Evander is becoming the Portland Timbers’ leading man in its offensive attack. With a third mention in league Team of the Matchday, the Carioca has found a new home in the Rose City.
The Timbers need to display consistency and a repetitive game and did so against a red-hot Vancouver Whitecaps stopping them cold and never allowing their offensive game to grow throughout the evening at Providence Park.
Defending and playing a beautiful game became the elements for the Timbers’ success last Saturday, and now looking to add another win on the road to uplift their confidence playing both on the road as well at home.
Giovanni Savarese is looking forward to start delivering some positive results with back-to-back wins and with the Open Cup loss now in the books, the idea for the Timbers is to start gaining some lost ground.
The longer the team stays healthy, especially its stellar players and they keep playing like that display against their Cascadia foes, the longer the league should take notice of the Timbers
In addition, the team offensively now starts producing game winning goals seeing how Franck Boli is now getting more confidence in the front as well Santiago Moreno with Yimmi Chara, the Colombian connection is looking good.
My worry is the slump of Darion Aspirilla lately not being a part of the Timbers’ attack and lacking his game saving contributions as the man deserves to be in the starting lineup from the start.
Overall, the Portland Timbers are looking good, and with a little stability and ambition will be their success in the end of this 2023 season with a trip to the postseason and who knows, maybe to MLS Cup.
My conclusion is that Gio needs to be giving minutes to players of the caliber of Noel Caliskan, Tyler Gregg, and Diego Gutierrez for the sake of their self-assurance in the field and become more familiar with their teammates.
Real Salt Lake Briefly
Pablo Mastroeni is not having the campaign he envisioned with his Claret and Cobalt playing below the postseason spots and seeded in eleventh place in the Western Conference.
Still, the team is looking a light at the end of the tunnel, with back-to-back defensive gems, and draws against the Seattle Sounders and Houston Dynamo considered big achievements as well as getting big wins in the US Open Cup over USL side Las Vegas Lights and recently over the Portland Timbers on the road.
With a lot to work on and a game on midweek against the Portland Timbers at home, they are betting on a notable result as well looking forward to start moving up spots in the Western Conference to be above the playoff line.
As some of its most important players returning from the IL, Pablo Ruiz is considered a very important part of RSL offensive attack, looking ahead in the end of an interesting match as both teams for sure will look for the three points.
If RSL can improve its defensive game, I foresee a very tough contest between the Rose City side and the Claret and Cobalt ahead on their game on midweek looking interesting and with the elements of a very tough contest
Meetings
05/10/2023 Portland Timbers 3-4 Real Salt Lake
10/09/2022 Real Salt Lake 3-1 Portland Timbers
04/23/2022 Portland Timbers 0-0 Real Salt Lake
Forecast
RSL is not having a good moment, will the Timbers take advantage of their skid
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
