The Portland Timbers already have clinched a home game in the MLS playoffs that begin next week and will look to build momentum for the postseason when they host Austin FC in a regular-season finale Sunday.
The Timbers (16-13-4, 52 points) will try to do something they have never accomplished – beat expansion Austin FC, who have handled Portland with ease in the first two meetings.
Portland secured fourth place in the Western Conference with a 3-1 win at Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, when Sebastian Blanco scored two goals and forced an own goal, all in the first half.
On top of assuring itself the home playoff game in the first round, Portland’s win over RSL set a team mark for most victories in a season, one more than the 15 they earned three times, including their 2015 run to the MLS Cup title.
“It’s about making sure that the players understand what is at stake and that they understand how important a match is for the team we play against,” Portland coach Giovanni Savarese said.
Austin FC (9-20-4, 31 points), though long eliminated from the playoffs would revel in sweeping the Timbers.
The first-year expansion team has some momentum after a 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday in their home finale. Austin got goals from Sebastian Driussi, Julio Cascante, and Jared Stroud while putting a kink into Sporting KC’s efforts to win the Western Conference.
“Hopefully, (Wednesday’s win) is an indication of what we can be and what we want to be going into next year,” Austin coach Josh Wolff said. “We’re going to get better, we’re going to add players, and we’re already a competitive team. We have to get more consistent and a little more ruthless and those things will be welcomed in 2022.”
Austin FC moved up to 12th place in the 13-team conference, passing Houston. Austin could climb to high as 11th with a win and a loss by FC Dallas — moving the Verde into the top spot among the three Texas teams.
Austin FC has outscored the Timbers 7-2 in their two wins, both at Texas.
–Field Level Media
