The Portland Timbers have one win in their pocket after last weekend's 3-2 victory over D.C. United and it is time to go in search of another as they take on the L.A. Galaxy this morning. While the Timbers are riding high (but keeping their high low) after their win, the Galaxy are coming off of a tough road loss to the Colorado Rapids, a game that saw them dominate the possession, passing, and shots stats only to lose 1-0.
The Timbers have been playing beneath their talent level this season and will need to continue to improve if they want to make something of this year. Changes may be coming, as Merritt Paulson hinted over the week, but today the Timbers have a chance to prove themselves against one of the annual competitors of MLS.
Here is all the information that you need for today's match:
Previews
Match Preview: "The chance are coming for the Timbers now, however, and a great many of them can be attributed to the improvement in play from the Maestro, Diego Valeri. Although he continues to deal with the aftereffects of his offseason surgery to correct a sports hernia, Valeri has dialed in his delivery, assisting all three Timbers goals against D.C. (even if only two were counted). If the Timbers are going to continue their push up the table and be in contention for a playoff spot in the fall, big performances are going to be vital from players like Valeri."
Preview Interview: "In truth, it's those midfield positions that have mean the most to LA thus far. Ishizaki is the only other player with multiple goals on the season, and it's their distribution that has opened things up for Robbie Keane. So it isn't a one man show, even if there only seems to be one man finishing at the moment."
Match Information
Watch it on: NBC Sports
Kick off: 11:30 am pacific at Providence Park
Portland Timbers: 1-3-5, 7th place in the Western Conference
L.A. Galaxy: 2-2-2, 6th place in the Western Conference