Portland Timbers vs Austin Fc Picks and Predictions March 1st 2025

Out to Build on Opening Win, Austin FC Battles Timbers

The Portland Timbers are looking to recover from a rough start to their season when they host Austin FC on Saturday night. Meanwhile, Austin aims to build on its opening victory as it continues adjusting under new head coach Nico Estevez.

Portland’s season opener quickly went off the rails in a 4-1 road loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. The match turned in the 11th minute when Kamal Miller received a red card, forcing the Timbers to play a man down for nearly 80 minutes. Vancouver took full advantage, scoring all four of its goals with the numerical advantage.

Adding to Portland’s struggles, star forward Jonathan Rodriguez is sidelined with a knee injury and has been placed on the six-game injured list. Rodriguez was the Timbers’ top scorer last season with 16 goals and five assists, making his absence a significant challenge for head coach Phil Neville.

“We’re not making any excuses,” Neville said. “We had a plan and as of right now, we’re probably not able to execute the plan that we want as for the system and the way we want to play.”

Portland’s lone goal in the opener came from Antony, who scored in the 73rd minute. The forward is coming off a six-goal campaign in 2024 and will be expected to carry a larger share of the scoring load in Rodriguez’s absence.

Austin FC Aiming for a Strong Start Under Estevez

Austin FC got off to a winning start with a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City last weekend. The breakthrough came in the 76th minute, when Osman Bukari scored with a header off Owen Wolff’s corner kick.

“It gave me confidence and it gave the team confidence,” Bukari said. “We needed that.”

The win marked a successful debut for Nico Estevez, who took over as Austin’s head coach after the club failed to make the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. While pleased with the result, Estevez stressed the importance of continued evaluation.

“We need more games to evaluate things,” Estevez said. “So far, they are training hard and playing hard, and we are happy with what we’re seeing.”

Portland’s High Expectations Despite Setbacks

Despite their opening loss and injury concerns, the Timbers remain focused on returning to the playoffs after last season’s 5-0 defeat to Vancouver in the Western Conference wild-card game.

Star forward Felipe Mora, who scored a career-high 14 goals in 2024, is confident that Portland can make a deeper run in 2025.

“We really do want to have a better season,” Mora said. “I think we deserve it.”

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Recent History and Matchup Outlook

Austin and Portland split their two matchups last season, with each team winning on the road. If that trend continues, Austin will have a chance to leave Providence Park with another three points.

With Portland short-handed and adjusting without Rodriguez, Austin will look to capitalize on the Timbers’ defensive vulnerabilities. However, the Timbers are motivated to avoid another slow start, making this an intriguing early-season battle.