The Portland Timbers are just four days removed from their tough road loss over the weekend and memories of the team’s 4-1 loss to the lowly Houston Dynamo are likely still fresh in their minds. However, now is the time for the Timbers to bounce back as they take on the visiting Columbus Crew in tonight’s mid-week match. The Crew come into today’s game as one of the most defensively sound sides in MLS, adapting to and frustrating just about everyone they match up against. The visitors have lost only once in their last seven matches, most recently drawing Western Conference powerhouse FC Dallas in Frisco. How the Timbers will rise to meet the Crew tonight will set the stage for the remainder of their run to the playoffs. A win against the Crew could catapult the Timbers back into contention in the West, while a draw or a loss would leave them stranded just above the red line and facing down sides in contention for a playoff spot — or even a bye — in four of their last five matches. Preview Storylines: “The Crew will come out in the 4-2-3-1 which is the only formation they’ve used all year. They’re a possession-based squad which exposes them to the counter-attack, which they’re not very good at defending. That’s partially because they rely on their fullbacks in their build-up play; they really get forward and provide crosses into the box for Gyasi Zardes.” Stop by the Rose City Forecast to make your predictions about tonight’s match. Match Information Watch it on: FOX 12 Plus (KPDX) Where: Providence Park in Portland, OR When: Wednesday, September 19th at 7:30 p.m. PT Portland Timbers: 12-8-8, 6th place in the Western Conference, lost 4-1 at Houston Dynamo Columbus Crew: 12-8-8, 4th place in the Eastern Conference, drew 0-0 at FC Dallas<doc-sep>Welcome to the quick midweek prediction thread! On Saturday, the Portland Timbers served the match on a platter to the Houston Dynamo, and the team in orange obliged, soundly beating the Timbers 4-1. However, the game didn’t start badly, as the Timbers got on the board first thanks to an Alvas Powell cross-turned-own-goal. But after 20-30 minutes, PTFC seemingly fell apart - the defense apparently remembered it can’t be organized when Liam Ridgewell isn’t playing - and they went into the half down 2-1. Nothing improved in the second half, and Houston put two more past Steve Clark for the final score. Ouch. Since it’s a midweek thread, no standings update! On Wednesday, the Timbers will look to rebound when they face the Columbus Crew in the friendly confines of Providence Park. Alas, they may have some tired legs, since both Diego Valeri and Sebastian Blanco went the full 90 minutes on Saturday. Assuming he’s not nursing an injury, Samuel Armenteros should be fresh and ready to go, at least. In the Columbus Crew, PTFC is against a team with an identical record: 12-8-8. But the Crew are on a better run of form, with only one loss in their last six, and over the weekend they did better than the Timbers in Texas, having played FC Dallas to a nil-nil draw. Working in the Timbers’ favor, hardly anyone besides Gyasi Zardes has found the net for Columbus. If Portland can shut down Zardes and Federico Higuain, they should have a good chance at keeping all three points in the Rose City. Total Cards O/U: 2.5 The Scoring Format: Correct score: 5 points Correct result (draw/win/loss): 3 points Each clean sheet: 2 points Each goal-scorer: 1 point Each FK/PK/assist/lack of assist: 1 point Goal/assist bonus: 1 point Player with the first yellow card of the match: 1 point Each player with a red card: 1 point (Can not earn points for predicting 0 red cards, but you may predict up to 3 players with a red.) earn points for predicting 0 red cards, but you may predict up to 3 players with a red.) Over/under on total cards: 1 point Most outrageous(ly accurate) prediction: 2 points Some ground rules and explanations/clarifications (the fine print): You may amend your prediction at any point up to kick off to account for game day 18 announcements. I recommend at least getting an initial prediction sooner, just in case you forget to come back in that hour or two before the game. Keep your scoreline predictions realistic. Basically, if you’re predicting lots of goals all the time to just earn points on goals and assists and ignoring the score, I feel that goes against the spirit of this thread. This hasn’t been at all a problem in the last two years, so let’s keep it that way! The goal/assist bonus is an additional point if you correctly get the correct scorer and assistant on the same goal. (For example, if Nagbe scores, assisted by Valeri, and you predicted that exact combination, you get a total of three points: 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 bonus. However, if you predicted Nagbe scores, assisted by Adi, and Adi scores, assisted by Valeri, you would get two points from the Nagbe/Valeri prediction: 1 goal, 1 assist.) Please be clear whether you think a goal will be unassisted, assisted, or from a PK/FK: Unassisted = no assist, run of play; Assisted = player who got the assist; PK/FK = directly from a free kick. For the purposes of this thread, a PK counts as an FK, and an FK as a PK. If you just leave the assist section blank, I will assume you’re declining to make an assist prediction. Even though a player can be awarded a secondary assist by OPTA, I will award a maximum of one assist point per goal. But that point can come from either the primary or secondary assist in the box score. However, please keep your predictions to one assist per goal. For the over/under on cards, a second yellow leading to a red counts as two cards, not three. You may predict more than one red card if you’re expecting a chippy match, but only up to three total. For the most outrageous(ly accurate) prediction, I will be trying to toe a line between completely absurd and mundane in my choices. As I see it, the goal here is to add even more fun without going too over-the-top ridiculous. So, in my mind, the best predictions will be something that could conceivably happen, but don’t happen often, like amusing coaching spats or goals that bounce off the crossbar, then off the keeper’s back, and then in. Things like that. If you’re looking for where I set the over/under on total cards, check the end of the preview paragraph after the standings. Format: In the comment title, post your predicted score with the winners; for example, 4-2 Timbers In the body of your comment, start with the goals and assists, like so: Nagbe (Valeri) Valeri (Free kick) Adi (PK) Blanco (Unassisted) Beckham (Free kick) Donovan (Beckham) Next, choose your first yellow card, and that means picking only one person: First yellow to Nigel De Jong Then reds, if any. (NOTE: No points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess. ): Nigel De Jong gets a red card for stomping Blanco. Clearly note whether you’re predicting over or under on total cards. Don’t leave me to try and figure it out! And lastly, make your fun prediction:<doc-sep>The Portland Timbers came from behind to win their final cross-conference match of the regular season in convincing fashion, taking down the Columbus Crew 3-2. The win pulls the Timbers even on points with third place Los Angeles FC. The match started with both teams playing cautiously, probing for an opening and rarely venturing out of the middle third. Several minutes into the match, however, the Crew became adventurous and were soon rewarded with the first chance of the night. After sending Pedro Santos to the Timbers’ end line, the Crew winger clipped a cross into the box and into the path of Patrick Mullins. Mullins rose up and put a glancing header on the ball, but could not steer it toward goal, instead sending the chance skipping out over the end line for a goal kick. Moments later, the Crew grabbed the opener when, in the 7th minute, the visitors won the ball in the Timbers end and streamed forward toward goal. The Crew found Milton Valenzuela wide on the Timbers’ right flank where the Crew man was able to play a low ball into the box for the run of Niko Hansen. With his first touch, Hansen put a boot to the ball, finishing past a scrambling Steve Clark to give the Crew a 1-0 lead. The goal seemed to suck the life out of the Timbers for the remainder of the opening fifteen minutes, and in the 12th minute the Crew came close to extending their lead when Santos played Mullins in behind a staggered Timbers line. Racing toward goal, Mullins attempted to play a chipped shot around Clark, but the Timbers keeper was able to put a slight touch on the ball; just enough to send it spinning wide of goal. After the fifteen minute mark, however, the Timbers came to life. In the 17th minute, the Timbers came inches from drawing even when Diego Chara won the ball deep in the Crew end and cut the ball back to Andy Polo at the top of the box. With defenders all around him, Polo got off a quick shot that skimmed just wide of the near post on its way out for a goal kick. Then, in the 18th minute, the Timbers got the equalizer. A ball out wide from Sebastian Blanco found Polo in space and the Timbers midfielder took the measure of the ball before swinging a perfectly placed cross in to the back post to find David Guzman goal side of his marker. Guzman rose up and put a snap header on the ball, powering it past Zack Steffen to bring the scoreline to 1-1. Now back on equal footing, the Crew found a pair of good chances from free kicks on the edge of the Timbers box. First, in the 22nd minute, Valenzuela hit a curling free kick that swerved around the wall and was headed on goal only for Clark to snag it comfortably out of the air. Then, in the 26th, Santos took a chance from the opposite side of the pitch and this time the free kick had enough zip on it to force Clark into a sprawling save that pushed the ball wide of goal. After the spat of chances, the match calmed down until the 36th minute, when the Crew carried the ball down the pitch and a scramble ensued at the edge of the Timbers box. Santos emerged with the ball and was able to find space to squeeze off a shot, but Clark was on the spot and able to turn the ball up and over the bar. Just as it looked like the Crew might be reasserting themselves on the game, the Timbers struck. In the 37th minute, the Timbers went on a quick, flowing counterattack down the pitch through Polo wide on the right. The young Peruvian played a long pass into the path of Blanco who returned the ball to him on a run into the box. Polo headed the ball back across the face of goal, leaving Steffen stranded, but a Crew defender was the first to it. With the ball bouncing toward the end line, Polo was the quickest to react, launching himself into the air and connecting with the outside of his boot to flick the ball past the last defenders, and the post, into the back of the net. Early in the second half, the Timbers extended their lead. In the 48th minute, the Timbers got forward on another counter attack with Diego Valeri carrying the ball down the center of the pitch. Driving the ball forward, Valeri played a through ball into the path of Diego Chara, overlapping on his left. Chara cut toward the center of the pitch and popped off a shot that was blocked away, sending the ball looping through the air and into the path of Samuel Armenteros on the far side of the pitch. Taking the ball down in the box, Armenteros got off a low-angle shot that skipped off the leg of center back Lalas Abubakar and around Steffen to give the Timbers a two goal lead. In the 56th minute, Valeri again found himself on the break, but this time the Maestro was in on goal and went for it himself. Taking a touch away from his defender, Valeri hit a hard shot from a tight angle, but Steffen was able to block the ball away and out for a corner kick. Off the corner, the ball was headed away from goal, but only got as far as Sebastian Blanco who hammered a volleyed shot back into the mixer where it deflected off Abubakar and away. The breaks continued to come for the Timbers and in the 68th minute, Polo had yet another chance as he was played into the Crew box by Blanco. With a man on his back, however, Polo was off balance and sent his shot up and into the stands. In the 77th minute, the Crew had a chance of their own when Hansen got on the ball on the end line and was able to get off a quick shot. The attempt was not enough to trouble Clark, however, as the Timbers keeper got down quickly to make the grab. The visitors had a pair of final chances in stoppage time. The first came off another free kick on the edge of the Timbers box. This time, Mullins stepped up to the ball, firing a low shot that went under the jump of the Timbers wall and forced Clark to make a diving save to keep the scoreline at 3-1. It would not last, however, as the Crew got forward for one final chance. The Crew found substitute Connor Maloney out wide on the Timbers’ left and the winger hit a curled in cross that found the head of Hansen in front of goal. Hansen made no mistake with his header, powering it into the back of the net to pull the Crew back within one. There would be no more chances for the Crew as the final whistle blew just moments after play resumed. The Timbers are back on the road for their next match, heading east to take on Minnesota United this Saturday.<doc-sep>
Columbus Crew SC have an interesting challenge on Wednesday night. Just four days after the 0-0 draw against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium, the Black & Gold are back at it and still on the road, traveling to Providence Park to take on the Portland Timbers. While fans of each team may still have memories of the 2015 MLS Cup in their minds when these two sides meet up, both teams are focused on this season. Currently, Crew SC looks to be in a good spot to make the playoffs, sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, nine points clear of seventh place D.C. United with six games remaining. The Timbers do not have the same comfort level. Portland is in sixth place in the Western Conference, four points ahead of the Vancouver Whitecaps. At this point in the year, both teams need points, but the Timbers are a bit more desperate. It has been a tough stretch for Portland, a team with just two wins since Aug. 11. Meanwhile, Columbus has just one loss in the team’s last seven games. How will the game play out out west on Wednesday night? Let’s see what our staff thinks. Patrick Murphy It’s the Diego Valeri show in Portland yet again in 2018. The attacking midfielder has been a mainstay for the Timbers for years now. But he’s not all alone in the attacking third with names like Samuel Armenteros and Sebastian Blanco. The offense has not been the issue for Portland with 41 goals scored. The Timbers, though, are allowing goals galore, with 40 conceded on the season. That’s good news for Crew SC, who struggle to score, especially on the road. I like the way Columbus is playing and think the Black & Gold can get a goal against this Portland defense. Unfortunately, I think the Timbers get one too and it’s another road draw for Crew SC. Columbus Crew SC 1 Portland Timbers 1 Collin Johnson Match two of three-match weeks tend to be a letup for Columbus Crew SC. Luckily, the Portland Timbers are are also in match two of a three-match week. Both teams are on 44 points so this should be an intriguing matchup of two teams with playoff aspirations looking to secure much-needed points at the end of the season. There will likely be some sort of squad rotation. I wouldn’t be surprised if Federico Higuain starts off on the bench or even totally out of the lineup. That said, Crew SC play a Colorado Rapids team this weekend that has not scored a goal in more than a month. If Crew SC are able to squeeze out a point or three against Portland they have a real shot to win at home against Colorado and more or less lock up a trip to the playoffs. Columbus Crew SC 1 Portland Timbers 1 Eliot McKinley A midweek game, on the road, against a Western Conference opponent sounds like the perfect recipe for some squad rotation for the Columbus Crew. Both teams are having very similar seasons results wise, but Portland needs a win to solidify their playoff position more than the Crew do. Being at home, I expect Portland to grab three points. Portland Timbers 2 Columbus Crew 1 Guilherme Torres The second of three games in a week’s time is normally the hardest one to predict as teams approach it in different ways. Based on previous experiences, I’d say head coach Gregg Berhalter rests some of his starters in Portland and hope for the best and get them ready to amass three points on Saturday, when Crew SC returns home to face the Colorado Rapids. The Black & Gold could still be able to get a good result on the road against the Timbers, even if not at full power. This, however, will be a very important game for Portland — that might have former Crew SC Steve Clark starting as goalkeeper — as the Oregonians had a tough 4-1 loss to the Houston Dynamo last weekend and are looking to rebound. I anticipate a game of limited chances for the Crew and the final outcome will ultimately depend on whether the team can convert them or not. Portland Timbers 1 Columbus Crew SC 1 Patrick Guldan Gregg Berhalter has said that several players won’t be making the trip to Portland and there will be lineup changes. That much is known.