(8) Portland Timbers (2,3,1, 7 points) vs (6) Sporting Kansas City (2,1,3, 9 points)
Sunday April 7, 2024 KO 10:30 AM PST/ 1:30 PM EST
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
Portland Timbers Briefly
The rally against Vancouver fell short due to manager Vanni Sartini’s accurate moves contrary to manager Phil Neville trying to escalate the attack and, in the end, it was stopped abruptly by the Whitecaps as the Timbers fell short of their objective in the end.
My conclusion is that Zac McGraw is in need to be substituted by Dario Zuparic as the all-around starter as the Croatian is playing with a lot of hunger and more desire of leaving the bench.
However, this team shows poise and determination as their revival in the second half showed their mettle and desire to win but falling short. But the moves made by Caps manager Vanni Sartini made a huge difference in the end in this Cascadia Derby.
I am no manager or a know it all, but how come manager Neville’s moves don’t seem to put the correct players to counter and see a continuance of his team surge and continue the intensity on the field.
The team is in need of reinforcing its defensive backfield. Kamal Miller cannot defend the whole time and is liable to get tired. Eric Miller and David Mosquera are doing a good job, but McGraw somehow is not cutting it!
Time is wise and will expose the areas of more need to reinforce for the Rose City side, as the offense is complete, but we are missing a winger with a lot of capabilities after many names like Pec, Simon, and others that became just simple rumors.
However, the need to give the youth some chances are imperative for this team to give some of its T2 players a chance to shine and become this team’s future. Will Neville have that character of developing young players and mold them into professional soccer players.
If we can state a sense of desperation for the Portland Timbers, you are right. After the team showing off a lot of promise suddenly, they are in a horrendous slump, and somehow this team has a lot of talent and being wasted will not be seen with good eyes.
A must win match for these embattled Portland Timbers, playing against a hard-hitting Sporting Kansas City playing lately with a lot of passion and looking to return to their old form. Despite missing a couple of its star players, they can still deliver a wondrous game of football with style.
Photo Credit Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City Briefly
Peter Vermes’s side is looking good after overcoming last season’s slow start and later making it to the postseason and reaching the conference semifinals being eliminated by the Houston Dynamo.
So far, the season looks promising as the team is currently seeded in the postseason spots and looking good in the season and looking like this team can deliver after being reinforced in the preseason.
With a duel between two strikers, Alan Pulido against Jonathan Rodriguez, these teams have a declared rivalry and looking forward to a one-of-a-kind and spectacular match next Sunday.
The team currently is looking good and its starting eleven looking very dynamic. The Timbers for sure will have a tough time trying to decipher as well looking forward to stop the likes of their star-studded side.
As this team with or without its starters can play the game and against anybody, with a number of important absences, still Sporting Kansas City delivered an amazing game on the road against another much improved Toronto FC side.
Meetings
05/28/2023 Sporting Kansas City 4-1 Portland Timbers
02/27/2023 Portland Timbers 1-0 Sporting Kansas City
08/21/2022 Sporting Kansas City 4-1 Portland Timbers
Forecast
The Portland Timbers are in need desperately of a win that can turn their momentum
