The Portland Timbers are looking for a win at home against a hapless SKC

APRIL 19, 2025 – PORTLAND, OR: MLS Regular season match between the Portland Timbers vs LAFC at Providence Park (Photo by Diego G Diaz).

(3) Portland Timbers (5,3,3, 18 points) vs (12) Sporting Kansas City (3,7,1, 10 points)

Saturday, May 10, 2025 KO 7:30 PM PST/ 10:30 PM EST

Providence Park, Portland, Oregon

Portland Timbers Briefly

The absence of key players last week burdened the Timbers, reminding them of reality and their limitations. They missed Jonathan Rodriguez, James Pantemis, Diego Chara, and defender Jimer Fory.

Manager Phil Neville now faces the challenge of regrouping after last week’s disappointing performance. He is eager to move on and start another winning streak. However, with Sporting Kansas City visiting, the task appears more difficult. The Midwest team has everything to gain and nothing to lose after a tough start to the season.

Given the current performance of the Portland Timbers, I believe they can return to winning ways, particularly when playing at home, where they tend to have an advantage over their opponents.

Hopefully, we can see the missing players on the field this time, and that no one gets suspended or injured. This cannot happen right now when the team is playing wonderfully and achieving wins.

The return of key players to the starting lineup will have a significant impact. With the team poised for a successful campaign, they are ready to take action and deliver impressive results.

Phil Neville’s team faces another challenging match, and he hopes for a win.

Photo Credit: Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Kansas City Briefly

Manager Kerry Zavagnin is doing his best to make a positive impression on SKC’s front office, with the hope of becoming the manager the club has been seeking for a long time. He is also eager to elevate the team to its former glory.

Dejan Jovelic, brought in by the defending champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy, is playing like himself. He is scoring and giving his best in every match, putting in 150% effort on the field. The man is increasingly becoming the focal point of the attack for Sporting Kansas City (SKC).

The entire team is facing challenges, which raises a question for interim manager Zavagnin. He is seeking cost-effective solutions to restore the club to its former glory and help the team regain control and start winning matches.

Although the season is still in its early stages, March and April are long gone. If the team wants to make it to the postseason, they need to play better and become a formidable force that can’t be overlooked by the end of the season.

Forecast

This can become an easy win for the Portland Timbers, especially when they are playing at home