Portland Timbers vs. Colorado Rapids Match Thread [4:00 pm]

The Portland Timbers have another chance to earn three needed points today, this time against a struggling Colorado Rapids side. While history is on the Rapids' side for today's match up (they've won 4 times against the Timbers in regular season play since 2011), this year's Timbers squad is very much a different beast entirely. The Rapids found that out the hard way during the two sides' last match against each other when the Timbers came back from behind to draw 2-2 away from home.

Here are all the details you need for today's match:

General Information

Watch it on: NBC Sports Network

Kick off: 4:00 pm at Jeld-Wen Field.

Portland Timbers: 27 points in the Western Conference.

Colorado Rapids: 20 points in the Western Conference.

Starting Lineups

Portland Timbers: Ricketts, Jewsbury, Jean-Baptiste, Kah, Miller, Chara, Valeri, W. Johnson ©, Nagbe, Piquionne, Wallace

Colorado Rapids: Irwin; Wynne, Moor, Mera, Klute; Thomas, Sturgis; Harris, Powers, LaBrocca; Brown

Final Thoughts

The Portland Timbers are making a strong case for the Supporters' Shield this year. I certainly won't declare that they will win it, but I think it speaks to the tenacity of this squad that they're just one win away from being very close to that top spot in the league. Obviously there are plenty of games that need to be played this year and nothing will be decided for a long while, but even being able to mention the Portland Timbers in the same sentence as the Supporters' Shield -- without the words "never gonna happen" thrown in between -- shows the amazing amount of progress the team has made since 2012.