Just one point out of first place, the Portland Timbers travel to Chester, Pennsylvania on Saturday (4:00 PM) for their only meeting of the season with the Philadelphia Union. The Timbers are coming off yet another home triumph—their fifth straight—but have something to prove on the road, where they've lost their last two games.
Despite juggling several injuries, and a notable national team absence, Portland are favored to beat the cellar-dwelling Union and rack up their seventh win in eight games—and they could have a major reinforcement on the way in DP Argentine striker Lucas Melano.
The History
Portland has played every team in Major League Soccer since they last played the Union, in the first game at the newly-renamed Providence Park on opening day last season. That game finished in a 1-1 draw, with Gaston Fernandez scoring the equalizer for the Timbers in stoppage time, but would be emblematic of the problems that would plague Portland at the beginning of last season.
The last time the Timbers went to Philly was almost two years ago exactly, in July 2013. That game finished in an unremarkable 0-0 draw. The first ever meeting between these two teams was nationally televised on the now defunct Fox Soccer Channel, from Jeld-Wen Field. Futty Danso, who lost his mother this week, scored the winner.
There are many connections between the two franchises, who entered the league within a year of each other, besides a 2012 trade that didn't really work out for either side: Jorge Perlaza for Danny Mwanga. Neither lasted with their team into 2013.
The Tactics
Alvas Powell is out for the Timbers, on international duty with Jamaica at the Gold Cup. Caleb Porter confirmed early in the week that Taylor Peay will make his first MLS start in Powell's place. Peay earned it with his US Open Cup play against Seattle, and with Jack Jewsbury being used in central midfield, there's no other option. This will be the first Timbers match Powell has missed all year.
Jewsbury may have to start in midfield again, depending on the health of Diego Chara. Will Johnson is set to start his first road game of the year. Darlington Nagbe, who appeared to re-aggravate his shoulder injury sustained in LA against San Jose on Sunday night, may miss out for the first time this year as well.
If he can't go, he'll most likely be replaced with Gaston Fernandez. Nat Borchers is set to come back into central defense for Norberto Paparatto, who is also banged up, while Fanendo Adi should retain his place up top after two strong starts in a row.
The Lineup
12 - Kwarasey
20 - Peay
24 - Ridgewell
7 - Borchers
19 - Villafaña
13 - Jewsbury
4 - W. Johnson (C)
22 - Wallace
8 - Valeri
10 - Fernandez
9 - Adi
The Pick
Portland is a much, much better team than Philadelphia is. Sometimes, it's that simple. 2-0 Timbers.
