Sports Mole Previews Sunday's Major League Baseball clash between San Diego and Portland Timber, including forecasts, team news and possible lineups.
San Diego and Portland wood At Snapdragon Stadium this Sunday, it is expected to be a crucial encounter.
The host’s goal is to have a stable victory of three wins in the last five games, while visitors will be determined to bring some positive homes.
Match preview
Sitting comfortably at the top of the Western Conference at home and 52 points from 27 games, while Portland, currently ranked sixth, hopes to stabilize his form and maintain his playoffs.
As both teams have tended to encounter low scores in recent weeks, it can be decided by fines.
San Diego made his debut season at the MLS, which was 16 wins, four draws and seven losses, and they quickly established themselves as one of the most stable and dangerous teams in the league.
Their ability to grind the results gave them an impressive 1.93 points, the best in the conference.
One of the key factors behind their rise is that they lost just 33 goals in 27 games, averaging 1.22 goals per game, and this defensive solidity usually allows them to control the game.
Even without the best performance, San Diego has found a way to keep his opponent away from him and has attracted their favor over the course of the season.
Looking ahead, San Diego scored equally reliable in 13 of the last 14 games, highlighting their offensive consistency, while 24 of the last 28 games have produced two or more goals.
For Portland Timber, the task is clear: Find a way to achieve positive results for league leaders on tough reasons to increase their confidence ahead of other games.
Phil NevilleThe game went into this side again after a 3-2 home win over FC Cincinnati, which once again emphasized their offensive and defensive vulnerability.
Timber showed a flash of quality with 10 wins, 7 draws and 9 losses, but has struggled to win consistency throughout the campaign.
On the road, Portland recorded six losses in 12 games and they scored 37 goals in 26 games, averaging 1.42 goals per game, which would be a problem getting into this game.
That said, Timber is still dangerous in the last third, scoring at least once in five of the last six games, their offensive core continues to raise questions for the defense.
Games involving Portland often offer entertainment, with 10 of the last 13 games scoring two or more goals.
In clinical aspects like San Diego, visitors will need to launch an offensive if they are to avoid losing again on the road.
San Diego Major League Baseball Format:
wldwww
San Diego Form (all matches):
wddwww
Portland Timber Major League Soccer Format:
lldwll
Portland Timber Form (All Competitions):
wwwlll
Team News
San Diego will watch again Anders Dreyer To provide the offensive front in a prolific form this season, the forwards lead the team’s scoring table with 13 goals and prove that the threat to opposition defense is constantly threatening.
His ability to find space and deliver at critical moments is at the heart of San Diego’s rise to the top of the rankings.
But without defender Andreas Reyes, Varas Mickey's team would have to do that, who was eliminated due to injury. What’s more obvious is that the new signature Corey Baird can be queued and can have an immediate impact, adding depth and versatility to the frontline.
For Portland Timber, Kevin Kelsy is expected to lead them once again seeking to improve their destiny lead. The forward is the club's most reliable source of target this season, finding six nets and taking on many offensive responsibilities.
Behind him, creative midfielder David Costa will be the key, with his six assists highlighting his role as the main architect that Timbers piled up.
However, due to absence, visitors will be hindered Jonathan Rodriguezhe missed it because of his injury. His absence canceled an important option in the last third, putting more pressure on Genes and Costa.
Possible starting lineup of San Diego:
dos santos; Harangi, Bombino, Tverskov, Duah; Godoy, McVey, Valakari; Angel, Vazquez, Drell
Possible starting lineup for Portland Timber:
Crepeau, Mosquera, Fory, Miller, Anthony, Surman; Ayala, Kelsy, Ortiz, Lassiter; DA Costa
We say: San Diego 2-0 Portland Wood
San Diego, the league leaders have shown them time and time again that they can manage the game effectively, whether through their offensive edge or defensive discipline, which makes it difficult for them to collapse.
Portland, on the other hand, still has the ability to surprise, and their offensive players are able to punish all the turnovers in concentration.
But given their form, motivation and advantages in playing at Snapdragon Stadium, the hosts are a clear favorite to gain the upper hand at the top of the rankings and expand their strong performance.
For the most likely data analysis, Scorelines and more, click here.
No data analysis information
Preview via email
Click here to get MolePreviews and predictions of each major game are sent out every day!