Colorado Rapids vs Portland Timbers

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park forms the backdrop for a ‘must-win’ Major League Soccer encounter between out-of-sorts Colorado Rapids and Portland Timbers.

Colorado Rapids’ form wobble continued at the weekend, as a lackluster 2-0 defeat at St. Louis City condemned them to a ninth consecutive MLS fixture without winning (D2, L7). Despite failing to get on the scoresheet in their last four league outings ahead of this encounter, the hosts have alternated between drawing (2) and losing (2) in that sequence. Speaking of Colorado’s growing scoring woes, Robin Fraser’s men have drawn a blank in their last four competitive home matches (D2, L2), casting further doubt on their bid to post a first MLS win since early May. Understandably nailed to the bottom of the Western Conference, the ‘Rapids’ may wave goodbye to their faint playoff hopes in case of another disappointing result because they already trail 9th-placed Vancouver Whitecaps by 11 points.

In the meantime, Portland Timbers’ last four MLS games since a 1-0 home win over Dallas in mid-June have fluctuated between draws (2) and losses (2), including a humiliating 4-1 defeat away to Minnesota United at the weekend. Ominously for manager Giovanni Saverese, that result stretched his side’s poor winless run to five straight away league matches (D3, L2). The ‘Timbers’ must put a stop to their rotten patch to bolster their hopes of closing a three-point gap on the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. But considering they’ve only won once on their four most recent MLS visits to Colorado (D1, L2), it won’t be easy, not to mention they’ve failed to score twice in their last three away H2Hs.