Houston Dynamo vs. Portland Timbers | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Houston Dynamo vs. Portland Timbers
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 29
BBVA Compass Stadium — Houston
Sept. 15 — 8:30 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

The Portland Timbers can move up to third place in the Western Conference with a win over a Houston Dynamo side that is winless in their last 10 games.

The Timbers are coming off a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids, extending an unbeaten streak to three, while the Dynamo dropped a 4-2 decision to FC Dallas in the Texas Derby on Sept. 1, their seventh loss in their last eight games.

This is the second meeting this season with the Timbers winning 2-1 at Providence Park on July 28. After Romell Quioto canceled out Sebastian Blanco’s 7th-minute goal, Fanendo Adi scored what proved to be his last goal in a Portland uniform with an 80th-minute winner.

• Check out all of MLS' mascots including Phang
• Blanco takes Player of the Week with twin assists
• Doyle: (Almost) status quo & more from Week 28
• Dynamo's Quioto states desire to move to Europe
• Cabrera on Dynamo: "Now it’s about pride"

Houston Dynamo

After consecutive draws at BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston (7-13-7) fell to FC Dallas, 4-2, at Toyota Stadium on Sept. 1.

Santiago Mosquera struck for a brace in a three-minute span after Michael Barrios opened the scoring in the 10th minute to give the hosts a 3-0 lead. Mauro Manotas pulled the Dynamo back a goal in the 53rd minute before Reto Ziegler and Alberth Elis exchanged penalty kick conversions.

“We’re going to continue working, we’re going to continue fighting because we cannot be forgetting how to defend, how to work together,” Wilmer Cabrera said. “We need to come back and we have to give us the option to show ourselves. Now it’s about pride, to prove ourselves that we can come back, we can play and we can avoid making so many mistakes.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: M - Boniek Garcia, M - Darwin Ceren, M - Adam Lundqvist
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - A.J. DeLaGarza (torn left ACL), M - Juan David Cabezas (left quad injury), F - Mac Steeves (left hip injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Joe Willis — Andrew Wenger, Philippe Senderos, Leonardo, DaMarcus Beasley — Boniek Garcia, Darwin Ceren— Alberth Elis, Tomas Martinez, Romell Quioto — Mauro Manotas

Portland Timbers

After four straight losses, Portland (12-7-8) are unbeaten in three consecutive games after defeating the Rapids, 2-0, Saturday at Providence Park.

Blanco set up goals by Jeremy Ebobisse just before the halftime break and Diego Valeri midway through the second half. Now, the Timbers open up against Houston for the opener of three games in eight days.

“Definitely this stretch is even more important because these points are going to get you the possibility to accomplish the goals to be in the playoffs,” Giovanni Savarese said. “Every game is crucial, every point is important and we’re looking at it that way.”

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

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-2-1, right to left)
GK: Steve Clark — Zarek Valentin, Larrys Mabiala, Liam Ridgewell, Jorge Villafana — Diego Chara, Lawrence Olum, Andy Polo — Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco — Jeremy Ebobisse

All-Time Series

• Overall: Houston Dynamo 4 wins, 20 goals … Portland Timbers 5 wins, 21 goals … 4 draws
• At Houston: Dynamo 3 wins, 11 goals … Timbers 0 wins, 6 goals … 3 draws
• Last meeting at Houston: Houston Dynamo 2, Portland Timbers 2 (July 29, 2017)

Officials

Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referees: Ian Anderson, Jeffrey Greeson
4th Official: Marcos Deoliveira
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic