Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 31
Providence Park — Portland
Sept. 29 — 10:30 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

It’s another massive showdown in the crowded Western Conference standings when the Portland Timbers host FC Dallas on Saturday night at Providence Park.

The Timbers are in fourth place, three points behind LAFC and just two points ahead of Real Salt Lake, and are coming off a 3-2 loss to Minnesota United, while first-place FC Dallas, which is two points clear of Sporting Kansas City, defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps, 2-1, on the road.

This is the second meeting this season with the teams playing to a 1-1 draw at Toyota Stadium on March 24 as Sebastian Blanco canceled out Roland Lamah’s opening goal.

Portland Timbers

Portland (13-9-8) couldn’t dig out of a three-goal first-half hole and fell to Minnesota United, 3-2, at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday night.

Romario Ibarra struck twice and Michael Boxall added a goal two minutes from halftime to give the Loons a commanding 3-0 lead before Alvas Powell and Blanco scored in the second half to pull the Timbers close.

“The second half, that was our team,” Giovanni Savarese said. “We came in with the right energy. We spoke in the locker room and we did the things we know we are capable of. We almost tied the game. I think we had good chances and it was a great effort. This is the team that we have to have. This is the team that can come out and play away and get victories because what we did in the second half was fantastic.”

Suspended: M - Sebastian Blanco
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Roy Miller (right thigh injury), GK - Jake Gleeson (bilateral tibial stress fracture); QUESTIONABLE: GK - Jeff Attinella (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-2-1, right to left)
GK: Steve Clark — Alvas Powell, Julio Cascante, Liam Ridgewell, Jorge Villafana — Diego Chara, David Guzman, Andy Polo — Diego Valeri, Tomas Conechny — Samuel Armenteros

FC Dallas

FC Dallas (15-6-8) moved back atop the Western Conference standings with a 2-1 win over Vancouver on Sunday at BC Place.

Maxi Urruti twice was the playmaker, first playing a quality set piece in that Santiago Mosquera flicked inside the far post to give FCD a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute. After conceding Kei Kamara’s equalizer in the 66th minute, Matt Hedges headed in the winner three minutes from full time after Michael Barrios latched onto Urruti’s corner at the near post and headed toward the back post.

FC Dallas coach Oscar Pareja then became the source of a reported meeting about the U.S. men’s national team job, a story Pareja refuted while also saying he’s interested in the position.

“I want just to make it clear I have not been interviewed or anything,” Pareja said. “It’s not something I would like to dig up out of respect for the Federation and their process and also for respect for the club that we have here. Big responsibilities, first winning in Vancouver and now just going to Portland and preparing for this game that could confirm us into the playoffs.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Kris Reaves (left foot stress fracture)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Jesse Gonzalez — Reggie Cannon, Matt Hedges, Reto Ziegler, Marquinhos Pedroso — Carlos Gruezo, Victor Ulloa — Michael Barrios, Maxi Urruti, Santiago Mosquera — Cristian Colman

All-Time Series

Overall: Portland Timbers 6 wins, 25 goals … FC Dallas 7 wins, 34 goals … 5 draws
At Portland: Timbers 5 wins, 15 goals … FC Dallas 1 win, 10 goals … 2 draws
Last meeting at Portland: Portland Timbers 2, FC Dallas 0 (June 10, 2017)