(8) Portland Timbers (5-7-5, 20 points) vs (5) San Jose Earthquakes (7-5-5, 26 points)
Saturday June 17, 2023 KO 7:30 PM PST/ 10:30 PM EST
Pay Pal Park, San Jose, California
Portland Timbers Briefly
What a one of a kind display these Portland Timbers put on last Sunday! However, if there’s one thing this team doesn’t have, it’s a confidence high when they play on the road and against San Jose, they have their backs to the wall.
When the Portland Timbers play a stingy game of defense, they deliver wonders. But going to Pay Pal Park to play against a team so far undefeated at home, and the odds somehow can be a little against the Rose City side.
With Evander becoming the offensive leader the Timbers needed, we can expect a lot of fireworks from the Carioca as he served the pass that led to the game’s only score last Sunday night.
Another man worth mentioning is Franck Boli. With four goals in the season and finally finding his targets, I can believe he can finish with double digits in goals by the end of the season and become an important part of this team’s frontal attack.
In the defensive midfield, Diego Chara and Cristhian Paredes are delivering with one-of-a-kind plays that have uplifted this team’s defenses and not allowing any liberties to opposing teams as the case with FC Dallas.
Santiago Moreno and Dairon Aspirilla are accompanying the likes of Evander in the attack and this is working wonders for Franck Boli in the front as the opportunities are starting to come up more and more for the Ivorian.
The need for Portland is that their important players cannot get in card trouble as their absence for sure is notable, but last week’s absence of Claudio Bravo wasn’t missed. Contrary to Eric Miller, he is playing like a true starter and he should get the start in every game from now on.
My conclusion is if the Portland Timbers display determination and ambition in the end, we can see a possible repeat and maybe an upset in the making in the Bay Area. If Giovanni Savarese plays his cards right, we can see another repeat of last week’s performance.
Photo Credit San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Briefly
For manager Luchi Gonzales, his so-called Luchi ball is working out wonders at Pay Pal Stadium with his style empathizing possession and counter pressing that has his team is undefeated playing as local.
So far, the Quakes are perfect at home with six wins and two draws and no losses.
A sort of reunion between Jeremy Ebobisse and his former team the Timbers as the former Rose City alumni is currently trailing his teammate Cristian Espinoza as Jebo has scored seven goals compared to eight of Espinoza.
The Bay City side for sure would like to continue its perfect march at home and playing one amazing ball as this team is seeing an all-around turnaround for the best and currently seeded in fifth place in the Western Conference.
My question will be if the Portland Timbers can spoil the Quakes perfect run at home?
Meetings
07/23/2022 Portland Timbers 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes
05/18/2022 San Jose Earthquakes 3-2 Portland Timbers
10/27/2021 Portland Timbers 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes
Forecast
San Jose has a perfect record at home, can the Portland Timbers stage an upset?
Portland Timbers
San Jose Earthquakes
