(8) Portland Timbers (3,5,2, 11 points) vs (11) Austin FC (3,5,1, 9 points)
Saturday May, 6, 2023 KO 7:30 PM PST/ 10:30 PM EST
Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
Portland Timbers Briefly
Yimmi Chara is back and he proved how valuable he was scoring the go ahead goal against a hardened and tough to beat at home newcomers St. Louis City SC, as I saw sort of payback after they won at Providence Park back in March.
The majority of the Timbers offensive core already returning from IL, as some of its most notorious players of the likes of Sebastian Blanco and Yimmi Chara, is bringing a new approach as well relief to manager Giovanni Savarese.
However, the Timbers have a player back, but with the doubt of Dairon Aspirilla being out with his knee bothering him and many praying for his return for game time, just as the Colombian is becoming an important part of the Timbers attack.
So far, Evander is becoming the man the Timbers envisioned as he’s becoming an important piece of the attack in two back-to-back games, with the Brazilian delivering important plays at goal and going at opposing defenses.
Talking about the Timbers backfield, with Dario Zuparic, Zac McGraw, Juan Mosquera and Tyler Miller, Savarese appears to have found his starting back four to defend with a lot success the goal posts of Aljaz ivacic.
With a light at the end of the tunnel, consistency will be elemental for the Rose City side to continue accumulating much needed wins and maintain a postseason spot for the remainder of the season.
The arrival of Noel Caliskan seems to me very promising as this lad comes from the best academies of football from his native Germany and he looks like he can make it in the big team alongside Diego Chara or as a winger.
Another player to be considered is T2 defender Tyler Clegg who has proven he’s ready for primetime after his sensational performance in the US Open Cup against Orange County where the defender scored a goal.
Tyler can fill momentarily that center back position until the summer transfer window opens up and who knows he can save the club some money in the long run with his performances. I can see Gio giving a player or two from T2 the opportunity to show off their skills and earn a spot in the big team.
One game at a time is what these Timbers need and focus with an ambition of winning and looking forward to their next foe and looking to maintain themselves in the top five spots in the table.
Austin FC Briefly
At the start of this 2023 campaign, manager Josh Wolff envisioned for the Verde and Black, a positive start. The team considered a favorite to display a one-of-a-kind game and be amongst the top spots of the Western Conference spots.
However, many factors are exposing the club problems ranging from a lack of a Designated Player, a boring style of game as well the lack of scoring from its strikers and lack of definition at goal, are among the worries for its manager.
So, what will the solution will be for the Verde and its manager to decipher this scoring drought his team is currently embroiled and with its slowest start since this team inception in Major League Soccer?
As the team lead man states, it as simply elusive scoring a goal, but in their last game against San Jose, there seemed finally to be light at the end of the tunnel and in the end shared the spoils with the San Jose Earthquakes.
With goals from Emiliano Rigoni and later from its captain Sebastian Driusi, the Verde and Black didn’t lose, but earned a much valuable point but with a lot of work to be done to accumulate points and move up in the table.
Slow start and lack of goals, will the Portland Timbers take advantage of this club scoring deficiency and come up with a big win and three points over a decimated and lack of drive Austin FC.
Meetings
08/31/2022 Austin FC 1-2 Portland Timbers
03/12/2022 Portland Timbers 1-0 Austin FC
11/07/2021 Portland Timbers 3-0 Austin FC
Forecast
Portland just got its first win on the road, and riding with a lot of momentum
Portland Timbers
Austin FC
