(12) Portland Timbers (6,9,8, 26 points) vs (9) Houston Dynamo (8,10,5, 29 points)
Sunday August 20, 2023 KO 5:39 PM PST
Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas
Portland Timbers Briefly
Well with Leagues Cup behind and after their elimination by Liga MX giants Monterrey FC, it’s back to Major League Soccer business and looking to start adding points and looking to move into the postseason spots.
With a season unllike others, the Timbers aren’t a team too strong to play on the road and this season have failed to add points away and their record not being a positive one.
Yes, the team this season has opened up the wallet and brought an experienced center back in Peruvian international Miguel Araujo and Brazilian winger Antony alongside Colorado’s forward Bryan Acosta.
However for Giovanni Savarese, it’s business as usual and for him, he has the impossible task of getting his team to make it to the promised land of the postseason. After all these years at the helm, the man just last season missed it.
Now the question arises of how will he will put his new players in the lineup as well if they will get some playing time according to their development and adjustment to their new team as well as the game system.
It’s now or never when these Portland Timbers start generating some much-needed wins and accumulate points that they can move up in the standings.
Not that is going to be a difficult task, but in the end on the road or at home is where the Timbers need to be solid and a tough foe, especially when they play in Providence Park, taking every point in play on the road.
Difficult, but not and impossible goal, the Portland Timbers will have in the remainder of this season the need to add wins is imperative if these are to contend for a spot and make an impact they are accustomed to making if they make the postseason.
@Vos_Castellanos
Houston Dynamo Briefly
New faces and with El Tri’s Hector Herrera in the lineup, the Dynamo are seen as an improved side and playing like one looking to get back those past lost glories as you recall this team won back-to-back league championships.
Despite having a good Leagues Cup eliminating Liga MX side Pachuca FC, they were eliminated by Charlotte FC in the end. But it’s another experience for the Orange Crush and now looking forward to maintain its postseason spot.
Come Sunday and the Houston Dynamo will host the Portland Timbers. The Dynamo are looking forward to getting back in the winning mood and maybe try to move up in the West standings.
With Ben Olsen making his debut at the Naranja helm, the man is seeing the fruits of his labor for the better this campaign and the league has been seeing a lot of improvement.
It has shown with many teams arming themselves as well reinforcing themselves in making a decorous stand come the postseason as many are chasing the coveted MLS Cup.
Meetings
06/29/2022 Portland Timbers 2-1 Houston Dynamo
04/16/2022 Houston Dynamo 0-0 Portland Timbers
09/23/2021 Houston Dynamo 2-0 Portland Timbers
Forecast
A win on the road will be immense for the Portland Timbers against an improved Dynamo
Portland Timbers
Houston Dynamo
