The Portland Timbers look to stretch their unbeaten streak to 5 matches once they host Minnesota United on Saturday evening.
Portland is 2-0-2 in the course of the span, together with Wednesday’s scoreless highway tie in opposition to Actual Salt Lake.
The Timbers (4-5-4, 16 factors) have been sparked by Evander, a Brazilian midfielder who’s in his first season with the squad. He has scored a team-best 4 objectives, together with three over the previous 4 matches.
The 24-year-old spent the earlier 5 seasons with FC Midtjylland in Denmark.
“Each recreation he’s getting higher,” Portland coach Giovanni Savarese mentioned. “We have seen he’s getting extra comfy and he is transferring higher. He is on the lookout for the ball and needs to be that individual dictating the ball.”
Towards Salt Lake, Aljaz Ivacic (4 saves) recorded his first shutout of the season and seventh of his profession.
Minnesota United (4-5-3, 15 factors) halted a six-match winless stretch (0-5-1) by producing a 1-0 house win over the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday. South African ahead Bongokuhle Hlongwane scored the lone objective.
The Loons are hoping the breakthrough will result in a string of wins that jumpstarts the season.
“Everyone knows the way in which this league works,” Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair (4 saves) mentioned after his fourth clear sheet of the season. “In the event you win three or 4 video games in a row, abruptly you are again on the prime of the desk or near it.
“I feel it is simply believing in ourselves. We have gone via these robust moments prior to now. We have had good summers the place we have in all probability been the most effective groups. We all know we have now that perception in ourselves.”
Loons coach Adrian Heath recollects the membership’s robust 3-0-2 begin to the season, and feels that is extra indicative of the crew’s expertise.
“I’ve mentioned to them I do know we’re a very good crew,” Heath mentioned. “4 or 5 weeks in the past, we hadn’t been crushed within the first 5 video games. Three of them have been on the highway. So we’ve not instantly gone from being a very troublesome crew to beat to a straightforward crew to play in opposition to. We’re not a straightforward crew to play in opposition to.”
Minnesota is hoping star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso will make his season debut quickly. He was lately cleared by the league to return after being suspended within the preseason for not reporting to the crew’s coaching camp.
Portland went 1-0-1 in opposition to the Loons final season.
–Discipline Degree Media
