Minnesota United at Portland Timbers
When: 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Providence Park, Portland
Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+
Radio: KSTP-AM, 1500
Weather: 77 degrees, sunny, 9 mph south wind
Betting line: MNUFC plus-170; draw plus-240; Portland plus-150
Form: Third-place MNUFC (11-5-7, 40 points) failed to win a third straight MLS game in its fifth attempt to do so this season with a 1-0 loss to Los Angeles FC on Wednesday. Sixth-place Portland (9-7-6, 33 points) has three losses in their past four matches, including a 1-0 home loss to Salt Lake at midweek.
Recent matchups: Each team won on its home turf a year ago, with a shorthanded Minnesota giving up a two-goal lead in a 3-2 defeat in Oregon last June.
Quote: LAFC’s five-man back line might became a major tactic to shut down a Loons side that struggles to score goals in open play.
“Largely the second half, there is a semblance of a blueprint (for us),” Loons head coach Eric Ramsay countered. “In the sense that we spent the large majority of the game in control … and had the lion’s share of territory and a lot of time at the top of the box. I think when we attack the sides of the box well, then we look most threatening.”
Look-ahead: After Saturday’s match, MLS All-Stars Dayne St. Clair and Michael Boxall will head to Austin for Wednesday’s showcase against Liga MX All-Stars at Q2 Stadium.
Context: The Loons are playing their fifth match in 16 days and held a lighter training session Friday, with more focus on video in the meeting room. But Ramsay said Wednesday’s loss wasn’t as physically taxing on the players, so that might limit the amount of players rotated into Saturday’s starting XI.
Absence and Theme: Hoyeon Jung tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right leg in the friendly against Holstein Kiel and had season-ending surgery. That means two Loons’ central midfielders done for the year (including a meniscus tear for Hassani Dotson) and further highlights a big positional need for the club when the summer transfer window opens next week.
Question: Loons CSO Khaled El-Ahmad tried to bring in a midfielder last winter but wasn’t able to get a deal completed. Does he reboot those efforts this summer, and is he able to get it over the line?
Update: MNUFC said goodbye Friday to Sang Bin Jeong as the attacking midfielder/wingback heads to St. Louis City on a cash trade nearing finalization. El-Ahmad and Ramsay led an on-field meeting, with Jeong receiving jerseys, a bouquet of flowers and hugs from close friend Bongi Hlongwane and other teammates.
Scouting report: Portland currently misses Evander (22 total goal contributions with FC Cincinnati this year) and James Rodriguez (still with Portland but out with a season-ending injury). They only have three goals scored across their last four matches.
Prediction: Ramsay said the crowd at Providence Park “sucked the ball in” last year, and the Timbers are hosting a 50-year celebration on Saturday night. Minnesota might be running on empty and seems primed to come up just short in a 2-1 loss.
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