Seeking to climb to the top of the Western Conference standings, Austin FC go head to head with Portland Timbers at the Q2 Stadium on Saturday night.
The Timbers have won each of their last three visits to Texas since September 2022 and will be looking to extend this fine run as they eye a third win on the bounce for the first time since June.
Match preview
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Austin FC maintained their fine start to the new MLS campaign as they held their own to see out a 1-0 victory over St Louis City when the two sides squared off at City Park last Sunday.
After Albanian forward Myrto Uzuni broke the deadlock three minutes after the half-hour mark to put Austin in front, the visitors turned in a defensive show of class to repel St Louis and end their five-game winless run against the Missouri outfit.
Austin have now won three back-to-back matches, seeing off Los Angeles FC, San Diego FC and St Louis while scoring four goals and keeping two clean sheets, having lost each of the two matches preceding this run.
Following their disappointing end to the 2024 campaign, where they finished 10th and five points off the playoff spot in the West, head coach Nico Estevez will be pleased with the start to the new season as they eye a second-ever playoff appearance and their first since 2022.
The Verde and Black have picked up four wins and lost two of their opening six matches to collect 12 points and sit second in the Western Conference standings, just one point behind first-placed Vancouver Whitecaps.
However, next up for Austin is the daunting challenge of taking on an opposing side who are unbeaten in seven of their last eight meetings, picking up six wins and one draw since November 2021.
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Over in Oregon, Portland Timbers secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season last time out when they edged out Houston Dynamo 3-1 at Providence Park.
After falling behind to Felipe Mota's sixth-minute opener, Franco Escobar hit back in the 12th minute to draw Houston Dynamo level, but Antony Alves struck twice in a standout individual display to hand the hosts to all three points.
This followed a 3-0 victory over Colorado Rapids at the Dick's Sporting Goods Park on March 23, when strikes from Antony, Kevin Kelsy and an own goal from Josh Atencio fired Portland Timbers to their first away win of the campaign.
Having kicked off the season with a 4-1 home thrashing at the hands of Vancouver Whitecaps in February, Phil Neville's men have picked up two wins and one draw from their subsequent four matches while scoring eight goals and keeping two clean sheets.
Portland Timbers have picked up 10 points from the first 18 available to sit sixth in the Western Conference standings, tied on points with seventh-placed Dallas and could move level with Vancouver Whitecaps at the top of the pile with maximum points at the Q2 Stadium.
Team News
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Austin will have to cope without the services of Danish defender Mikkel Desler, who has missed each of the last three games since coming off with a hamstring injury against Colorado Rapids in March.
Osman Bukari was forced off injured midway through the game against St Louis last time out and the 26-year-old midfielder is a doubt for this weekend's clash.
Should he fail to shake off the injury, veteran midfielder Ilie Sanchez should return to the XI, teaming up with Owen Wolff, Besard Sabovic and Daniel Pereira at the centre of the park.
As Portland Timbers, 31-year-forward Jonathan Rodriguez has been sidelined since October through a severe knee problem and is out of contention for the trip to the Q2 Stadium.
With his brace against Houston last time out, Alves now has four goals in six league games and the 23-year-old forward should team up with Santiago Moreno and Chile international Mora at the attacking end of the pitch.
Austin FC possible starting lineup:
Stuver; Gallagher, Svatok, Hines-Ike, Biro; Wolff, Sabovic, Pereira, Sanchez; Vazquez, Uzuni
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Pantemis; Mosquera, Surman, Miller, Fory; Chara, Ayala; Moreno, Da Costa, Alves; Mora
We say: Austin FC 3-1 Portland Timbers
Austin and Portland Timbers have put together a fine run of results of late and we anticipate an action-packed contest at the Q2 Stadium. The Timbers have struggled to impose themselves on the road, where they are on a run of just one win from their last nine league games since June, and fancy Estevez's side to come away with the desired result.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joshua Ojele
