(3) Portland Timbers (10, 5, 5, 35 points) vs (9) Vancouver Whitecaps (8,13, 0, 24 points)
Sunday November 1, 2020 7:00 PM PST/ 10:00 PM EST
Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
Week 22
Portland Timbers Briefly
What a show the Portland Timbers displayed last Wednesday against a decimated LA Galaxy at home with a 5-2 rout with a brace from the former Legionnaire Jaroslaw Niezgoda!
It was a win that gave the Timbers the momentum they needed in this final stretch and with three games left in this shortened season. For Gio and company, nothing is accomplished yet and for sure they would like to close on a positive note.
Still, the postseason for the Portland side will be a challenging one and they will be looking towards finishing as the top seed in the Western Conference.
So far, Felipe Mora, Diego Valeri, and with Jeremy Ebobisse each have seven goals and Jaroslaw Niezgoda follows close, these Timbers have a lot of firepower up front.
Also for Gio Savarese, Yimmi Chara has adapted fully to his game plan and is one amazing orchestrator in the midfield that makes things happen.
With Marco Farfan and Pablo Bonilla becoming standouts in the defensive midfield, the competition next year will for the outside fullback positions in 2021.
One thing I see from the Rose City side is that come playoff time, this team will be among the favorites to win it all, with a healthy starting eleven who knows what this team can do in the postseason and maybe all the way to MLS Cup 2020.
Do not underestimate the Portland Timbers, despite the foe in front of them, Sunday’s game will be played like a final and they will not allow the visiting Caps any opportunities to regroup or leave them any openings.
The need to display total dominance from start to finish and with a lot of consistency in their game to see a successful end of the regular season and possibly fruitful run in the postseason.
Probable Lineup:
GK Steve Clark, Marco Farfan, Larry’s Mabiala, Dario Zuparic, Jorge Villafaña; Diego Chara, Eryk Williamson; Jeremy Ebobisse*, Diego Valeri, Yimmi Chara; Jaroslaw Niezgoda
Vancouver Whitecaps Briefly
Mark Dos Santos is looking forward to his first postseason run with the Caps, despite his team being ahead on points over Colorado. In the end, he is aware of positive results that can earn his side a much-needed pass to the promised land of the postseason.
After a hard reality check of how MLS is all about, the Caps manager learned the hard way of the levels of competition in this league and missed a chance to see his side in the playoffs.
The Caps did not have positive results at the beginning of the season, but somehow this team rallied and now are on the verge of perhaps returning to the playoffs.
However, this edition of the Cascadia Derby will be played in a different tone, as the Caps have been using Providence Park as their temporary home due to the pandemic, this we can say will the Providence Derby?
The Caps in my opinion has one of the best academies in all Major League Soccer, as you recall Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davis coming from the Village and the way he’s become a stand out in Bundesliga.
The Timbers are aware of this team and the threat it can pose on the field, as their starting eleven can beat anyone with a good direction and focus.
Probable Lineup:
GK Evan Bush, Janio Bikel, Andy Rose, Ranko Veselinovic, Derek Cornelius, Cristian Gutierrez; Tosaint Ricketts, Michael Baldisimo, Russell Teibert, Ryan Raposo; Theo Bair
Meetings
September 27, 2020, Vancouver Whitecaps 0-1 Portland Timbers
August 10, 2019, Portland Timbers 3-1 Vancouver Whitecaps
Forecast
A game that will have its challenges for the Portland Timbers but coming as favorites
Portland Timbers
