On Wednesday, the Portland Timbers are set to host the San Jose Earthquakes at Providence Park for an MLS encounter, with their sights set on clinching their third consecutive win.
Following back-to-back defeats, including a heavy 5-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo and a setback against the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Portland Timbers have turned things around, going undefeated in their last four matches and securing three victories.
In their most recent outing, they triumphed with a 2-1 scoreline on the road against Austin. Felipe Mora and Evander da Silva netted, providing a two-goal lead before Sebastian Driussi pulled one back for the hosts.
This impressive resurgence has propelled the Timbers to the ninth spot in the Western Conference standings, amassing 36 points from 29 games, just four points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
The San Jose Earthquakes, known as "The Goonies," put an end to their four-game winless streak in the MLS by defeating Real Salt Lake 2-1 last weekend, marking their 10th victory of the season. Jeremy Ebobisse and Antonio Rodrigues each found the back of the net within the opening 15 minutes of the match, while Cristian Arango pulled one back for the visiting team.
Despite Real Salt Lake's efforts, they couldn't muster a comeback, allowing San Jose to secure all three points.
In the head-to-head history between these two teams, they have clashed 35 times, with the Portland Timbers emerging victorious on 19 occasions while suffering only six defeats. The Timbers have maintained an undefeated streak in their last three meetings with the San Jose Earthquakes. Over the course of their last 11 encounters, the Earthquakes have managed to secure just one win, which occurred in May 2022 with a 3-2 victory in the MLS.
Interestingly, the Portland Timbers have faced some scoring challenges in their two most recent matchups with the San Jose Earthquakes. In their last three MLS games, the San Jose Earthquakes have remained unbeaten, while the Portland Timbers have also gone undefeated in their last four matches. It's worth noting that the Timbers have scored at least two goals in each of their last four home games in the MLS.
Looking ahead to the upcoming clash, the Portland Timbers have a strong track record against the San Jose Earthquakes, with just one loss in their last 11 meetings. Given both teams' recent positive form, this match promises to be intense. However, our prediction leans toward the Timbers securing a narrow victory.
Prediction: Portland Timbers 1-0 San Jose Earthquakes