(6) Portland Timbers (3,3,0, 9 points) vs (3) Philadelphia Union (3,2,2, 11 points)
Sunday, May 30, 2021, 1:00 PM PST/4:00 PM EST
Subaru Park, Chester, Pennsylvania
Portland Timbers Briefly
Back-to-back wins show the determination these Timbers have taken after their exit from CCL and league losses against FC Dallas and archrivals Seattle. So far, these latest wins have put the Timbers above the postseason line and in sixth place overall in the Western Conference.
Still, the team is short of notable players sidelined with injuries and with no time for retur,n but Gio has managed with his bench to put on a great show with his reserve players doing the job.
The Timbers have in two matches scored a total of five goals and none against shows their readiness to stand out and really impress their manager in getting a starting spot in every game.
Traveling to Philadelphia and playing against a hardened Union side playing amazingly and being touted as the favorites to be in the finals of both Eastern Conference and league. The Portland Timbers are not intimated, but ready to tackle another challenge and continue with their positive run.
Probable Lineup:
GK Logan Ketterer, Josecarlos Van Rankin, Bill Tuiloma, Dario Zuparic, Claudio Bravo; Yimmi Chara, Eryk Williamson; Jeremy Ebobisse, Diego Valeri, Dairon Aspirilla; Felipe Mora
An exhausted Bedoya breathes a sigh of relief after scoring the winner against FC Dallas. (Photo credit Charlotte Thomas)
Philadelphia Union Briefly
Jim Curtin last season brought in his tenure an especially important trophy in the Supporters Shield after the Union finished with the best record in 2020. With the team in the past finishing as runners-up in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, for manager Curtin this is it!
The man is looking forward to making the Union a serious contender, very well looking to add more trophies into this team collection and being a couple of them the Eastern Conference and league shields.
Currently, the Union stands in third place and looking to take advantage of local on Sunday against a tough nemesis in the Portland Timbers that have their number with back-to-back wins. As for manager Curtin, it is imperative that his team’s momentum continues in breaking the Rose City side dominance with a win.
Probable Lineup:
GK Andre Blake, Oliver Mbaizo, Jakob Glesnes, Jack Elliott, Kai Wagner; Andres Bedoya, Jose Martinez, Leon Flach; Jamiro Monteiro; Kacpcer Przybylko, Cory Burke
Meetings
August 5, 2020, Philadelphia Union 1-2 Portland Timbers
May 25, 2019, Philadelphia Union 1-3 Portland Timbers
Forecast
The Union playing as local comes with the edge, but do not take the Portland Timbers for granted
Portland Timbers
Philadelphia Union
