(9) Portland Timbers (7, 8, 2, 23 points) vs (12) Colorado Rapids (5,10, 4, 19 points)
Saturday July 13, 2019 8:00 PM PST/ 11:00 PM EST
Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
Portland Timbers at a glance
Lately, these Portland Timbers are playing one amazing game of football!
A turnaround that manager Giovanni Savarese, so patiently has been envisioning after that tough 2019 start, finally the fruits of his work, are finally giving him positive results.
In spite of the Portland Timbers midweek win over the league’s most challenging teams this season, the LAFC, defeating this club on the road, can you imagine this club momentum.
With a possible absence of Giovanni Savarese, due to a family emergency, his assistant Carlos Llamosa delivering a one of a kind win in Tinsel Town over the league’s most rated side.
For interim manager Carlos Llamosa filling in temporarily for Gio Savarese, the man has proved his skills and for sure he will attract the attention of many squads in the league.
Thankfully, no snow in the forecast, just a beautiful warm Portland evening awaits this match, that for sure the visitors are looking forward for an upset to the home side.
Getting back to this Saturday’s match, a win and it will be the Timbers third consecutive one as well with other results, these can leapfrog above the red line for the first time in the season.
Still as the adage states, that there is no such thing than an easy foe, the Timbers will be wary and display a conservative and more careful approach on their game against Colorado.
As you know, its not that easy and teams like the Rapids, desperate for points and wins, these for sure will be a hardened challenge to the Portland Timbers.
One Thing for sure that the home side is ready to rumble.
GK Steve Clark, Jorge Moriera, Larry’s Mabiala, Juio Cascante, Zarek Valentin; Diego Chara, Cristhian Paredes; Sebastian Blanco, Diego Valeri, Jeremy Ebobisse; Brian Fernandez
Colorado Rapids at a glance
For manager Conor Casey since taking over the reins of the Colorado Rapids, as an interim, the man, suddenly has created a positive turnaround in Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Still the man with a 5-3-3 record, so far, his Rapids are still struggling in the overall table and not sitting pretty in the cellar of the Western Conference.
As the need to return to prime-time will not be an easy endeavor for him and his Rapids.
Coming to Providence Park, somehow a tough venue for the Rocky Mountain squad, this coming Saturday game, they will have a tough challenge to overcome against a streaking Timbers.
For one of the league pioneer squads, the Colorado Rapids, with two back to back seasons without a trip to the postseason, the need to start to accumulate wins is a must.
So, for these MLS pioneers, their aims is to net an upset at Rose City, for sure this will be one difficult challenge, as a result they will take advantage of their midweek game.
GK Tim Howard, Keegan Rosenberry, Latas Abubakar, Tommy Smith, Sam Vines; Danny Wilson, Kellyn Acosta; Cole Bassett, Diego Rubio, Andre Shinyashiki; Kei Kamara
Meetings
March 2, 2019 Colorado Rapids 3-3 Portland Timbers
September 8, 2018 Portland Timbers 2-0 Colorado Rapids
May 26, 2018 Colorado Rapids 2-3 Portland Timbers
Prediction
Portland Timbers come as overall favorites, but the Rapids are looking for an upset
