Portland Timbers @ LA Galaxy Match Thread [7:30 pm]

The Portland Timbers prepare to take on the Los Angeles Galaxy tonight in a match that could see the Timbers rise to the very top of the league, a spot they've never really held before. More than that, however, it would provide the Timbers with added distance between them and the bottom of the playoff pack. Obviously nothing will be decided tonight with regards to the 2013 playoffs, but every point counts and three tonight would be huge.

Here are the details:

Portland Timbers

Watch it on: KPTV Fox 12

Kick off: 7:30 pm at StubHub Center, Los Angeles

Portland Timbers: 26 points in the Western Conference.

LA Galaxy: 20 points in the Western Conference.

Starting Lineups

Portland Timbers: Ricketts, Miller, Jean-Baptiste, Kah, Harrington, Chara, Valeri, W. Johnson (c), Alhassan, R. Johnson, Nagbe

LA Galaxy: Cudicini; Franklin, Meyer, DeLaGarza, Dunivant; Rogers, Juninho, Garcia, Zardes; Donovan, Keane

Final Thoughts

There's been some recent discussion on our site recently about whether the Timbers are "contenders" or "pretenders." I think there's validity to both sides of the argument. Obviously the team has done great so far this season, but defensive woes remain a huge issue. A decent result against the former 2011 and 2012 MLS Cup champions with certainly help cement the club's place as a legitimate contender for the playoffs and MLS Cup, especially when faced with an offense lead by Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane.