Portland Timbers VS Seattle Sounders Match Prediction

The proximity between these two teams in the Western Conference is matched by the closeness of their battle on the pitch: their 21 head-to-head clashes have ended narrowly 9-7 in Seattle’s favour, with five draws.

At Providence Park in Portland, the Timbers hold a 5-2 advantage over the Sounders.

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Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders: Prediction

Wow, what a game to decide who takes their place in the play offs. Portland have the advantage of points on the board – 32 to Seattle’s 31, to be exact – but the visitors have the undoubted bonus of being in better form at present. To further their advantage, the Sounders beat Portland 3-1 just seven days ago courtesy of a brace from Clint Dempsey – what an omen that could turn out to be.

The issue here is that Portland’s home form is so strong – they are W8 D2 L3 at Providence Park, compared to W0 D6 L7 on the road – and that is some obstacle for Seattle to overcome. The Sounders have only won twice on their travels all season, so they will need to buck a mighty trend if they are to leave Oregon with the three points.

In July, Portland defeated Seattle 3-1 at home, and you’d wager that a similar kind of result is in the offing here.

Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders Betting Tips

We were surprised to see Portland listed as an odds-against chance here, and so clearly we are happy to get on board with the Timbers at 6/5 to win the match. Goals seem to be the order of the day at Providence Park: Portland net an average of two per game there, and their last three home matches have gone over the magic 2.5 marker. Indeed, the last five Timbers-Sounders clashes there have also ‘gone over’, so naturally we’ll be taking the 4/5 available on a repeat performance.

Seattle have also netted in four of their last five away matches, so backing the Both Teams to Score market at 4/6 is another that looks prudent.

What a nail-biting end to the MLS campaign it looks set to be for Portland, who sit in one of the Play Off positions but who have a chasing pack of four nipping at their heels just two points behind. They need something – anything – from this game. 

Portland Timbers likely XI:

What a time it is for Seattle to find some form, and with the end of season in sight their four wins in five could well be the catalyst for a late play-off push. They are one of those teams chasing Portland hard.

Seattle Sounders FC likely XI:

Games where fine margins can be the key are always tough to predict but Portland\'s record in home matches is outstanding, and while they may have lost 1-3 to Seattle just seven days ago, they also have the knowledge that they defeated the Sounders by the same scoreline at Providence Park as recently as July. Neither side is blessed with outstanding quality but the English central defensive pairing of Portland, Steven Taylor and Liam Ridgewell, have been around the block and back and aren\'t afraid to put their head in where it hurts. Their ability to keep a clean sheet – allied to the Timbers\' unerring desire for goals at home – suggests that they are the best bet to win here.

The differentiator in this match is Portland\'s form at their Providence Park home: they have picked up 26 points there as opposed to six on the road. Seattle\'s home/away point split is 22/9, so that shows how vulnerable they are on the road.