Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake: How to Watch, Previews, Predictions, Match Chat [7:30]

The Portland Timbers host Real Salt Lake this afternoon in Major League Soccer action and are looking for their second win of the young 2016 season. With improvements to be made on either side of the ball, the Timbers will be looking to improve on their week two performance against the San Jose Earthquakes and get back to winning matches.

Previews

Match Preview: "While the Timbers' match against San Jose saw the team carved open by a few opportunistic but well taken chances, this match will instead see the Timbers come under constant pressure from a creative and talented RSL attack. Yura Movsysian is still adjusting to the side after returning to Salt Lake following his five years in Europe, but the attacking corps of Joao Plata, Javier Morales, and Juan Manuel Martinez (a.k.a. "Burrito") that surround him have looked very dangerous, even if they have yet to start pouring in the goals."

Preview Interview: "Though last season was a bit lackluster for Plata, 2016 season is ripe with promise. Enter Yura Movsisyan. The Armenian is known for his pace, aggression, and goal-scoring abilities; in other words a perfect match for Plata's skillset. Movsisyan will definitely take his share of the man-marking defenders, freeing up that space again for Plata in his place in the 4-3-3 as an inverted left winger. So far Plata has scored three goals in four games including (CCL competitions). It looks like he is settling in just fine on the left side again. A double-digit goal season is definitely not out of the question for Platita this season."

Predictions Thread

Match Information

Watch it on: KPTV

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT at Providence Park in Portland, OR

Portland Timbers: 1-1-0

Real Salt Lake: 1-0-1