Portland Timbers Port vs Minnesota United Fc Min Picks and Predictions June 29th 2024

Timbers Roll into Matchup with Slumping Minnesota United

The red-hot Portland Timbers aim to extend their unbeaten streak to seven games when they host struggling Minnesota United FC on Saturday.

Timbers’ Recent Form

Unbeaten Streak

Portland (7-7-6, 27 points) has been dominant over the past six weeks, with a 4-0-2 record in their last six matches. A win against Minnesota would push the Timbers ahead of them in the Western Conference standings.

Previous Encounter

Minnesota United won 2-1 at home when the teams met on May 18. Since then, Portland has been unbeaten.

Coach’s Perspective

“Every game we’ve been trying to jump a place, jump a place and climb the table,” Timbers coach Phil Neville said. “It’s step by step, we’ve got a lot of work to do. … I think this team could still play better. (We’re) nowhere near where we need to be in terms of the consistency.”

Defensive Strength

Portland has kept three clean sheets in their last five matches, outscoring opponents 10-4 during this unbeaten run.

Key Players

Portland’s dynamic trio of Felipe Mora, Jonathan Rodriguez, and Evander have been in great form, each scoring three goals during the streak. Mora leads the team with nine goals, while Rodriguez and Evander have eight each.

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Minnesota United’s Struggles

Recent Form

Minnesota United (8-6-5, 29 points) has struggled since their win against Portland, with a 1-4-2 record, including a winless streak (0-3-1) in their last four matches.

Last Match

Minnesota suffered a 1-0 home defeat against Austin FC last Saturday, being a man down for most of the game due to Hassani Dotson’s red card in the 26th minute. Even though they created 12 shot opportunities, they could only produce one shot on goal.

Positive Takeaways

Defender Zarek Valentin saw some positives despite the loss.

“I think if we play that way with that mentality, that aggression, we’re going to win more games and get more results than not. … That’s going to take us a lot further than we deserved (against Austin),” Valentin said.

Absences and Suspensions

Dotson’s suspension for Saturday’s game will further compound Minnesota’s troubles. The squad is without many important players because of injuries and commitments to their national teams, including top scorer Tani Oluwaseyi (seven goals), who is playing for Canada in the Copa America.

Conclusion

The Timbers strive to maintain their impressive performance and climb the standings while facing a Minnesota United team eager to break their losing streak. This game is crucial for both teams in the Western Conference.