(7) Real Salt Lake (3,5,1, 10 points) vs (10) Portland Timbers (2,5,1, 7 points)
Saturday May, 4, 2019 6:00 PM PST/ 9:00 PM EST
Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
Portland Timbers at a glance
Back-to-back wins and the Portland Timbers are displaying a dramatic turnaround. So far the Rose City team has put behind many troubles in its game.
One by stepping up its defensive game being its Achilles Heel and second its attack suddenly displaying that old set of skills from its top play-makers.
However, this is not over yet and the Rose City squad is to play four more games on the road.
With the Claret and Cobalt next in line, the Portland Timbers will have a very tough opponent in the Utah eleven and its hands full in the course of ninety minutes.
For RSL coming off of an upsetting loss in Tinsel Town agaisnt the LA Galaxy and in spite keeping their offensive attack in check in the end these succumb to Ibra’s scoring wisdom.
Nonetheless the way these Timbers are playing in these last two games and against a squad considered as serious contenders, these have been able to deliver much needed wins.
This something that manager Giovanni Savarese seeing his hard work paying off from his squad showing a sudden revival is the reason in their game latest results in the plus.
Still there is quite a ways for this season to end as we are not even in the middle and with three more games on the road the reason to come up against the challenge is a must.
Thanks to that amazing trademark moves by manager Savarese as bold, that 4-4-2 he is using lately and with Bill Tuiloma and Larry’s Mabiala as head of the defense.
In addition of their attack being on the plus too and teamwork being present we may have a continuance of positive results in Rose City.
GK Steve Clark, Jorge Moreira, Larry’s Mabiala, Zarek Valentin; Andres Flores, Cristhian Paredes, Diego Chara, Sebastian Blanco; Diego Valeri, Jeremy Ebobisse
Real Salt Lake at a glance
For RSL manager Mike Petke is serious business to win this match. After his side delivered a magnificent performance against the LA Galaxy at Carson, Ca.
The way these displayed a top notch defensive game is for sure that manager Petke is looking to see an encore agasint a hot streaked Portland Timbers.
As the Rose City side being a bit dominant on the Claret and Cobalt last season, this first meeting will be played with the elements of a final.
For sure the locals come with the labels of favorites by playing at home, still these suddenly have hit a bad streak and last weekend lost was indeed a bit hurtful for Petke and company.
As manager Petke seeing what the visiting Timbers momentum, for sure he will put in his best formation towards this match, a tough match.
GK Andrew Putna, Aaron Herrera, Justen Glad, Nedum Onuoha, Donny Toia; Kyle Beckerman, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnak, Corey Baird; Sam Johnson
Meetings
October 21, 2018 Portland Timbers 3-0 Real Salt Lake
October 6, 2018 Real Salt Lake 1- 4 Portland Timbers
Prediction
Real Salt Lake comes as a the favorite but the way the Rose City squad is playing makes it even.
