The Portland Timbers have begun their long climb back. They have earned a result in five straight matches, and they know they are ready to launch themselves skywards in the standings with only two road games remaining in the regular season. After going on the road to knock off the Seattle Sounders in a Cascadia Cup match last weekend, they return home to face the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday.
Don't miss the Major League Soccer action from Providence Park in Portland, Oregon at 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 27, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on FS1.
MLS Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Portland Timbers -188
Los Angeles Galaxy +414
Draw +347
Over/Under 3 and 3.5
Odds Analysis
Coming into this match, the Galaxy are feeling great. They dealt rival LAFC their third loss of the season in El Trafico last Friday, and they propelled themselves to second place in the Western Conference with the victory.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic knows how to put on a show, and he was incredible against LAFC. After some pointed comments towards Carlos Vela, LAFC, and the MLS in general during the week, Ibra backed up his talk with a flashy hat trick in a 3-2 win for the Galaxy. He now has 16 goals in 17 matches this season.
Playing on the road has not come easy for the Galaxy. They are 4-4-1 on the road ahead of this match, and they have alternated wins and losses over their last seven games. That means they are due for a loss if the pattern holds.
Portland knocked off Seattle 2-1 on Sunday, and the Timbers are now just two points outside of playoff position. They are 2-1-2 at home and will make themselves comfortable with a 10-game homestand coming in the next couple weeks.
Key Absences
Romain Alessandrini is expected to miss at least one more month after undergoing knee surgery at the end of April. The Galaxy are eagerly looking forward to one of their star midfielders returning, as the midfield in particular is banged up. Midfielders Chris Pontius (hamstring), Sebastian Lletget (pelvis), and Perry Kitchen (pelvis) are all questionable for this match.
Marco Farfan will miss the match for the Timbers with a knee injury, and there are other injuries of note too. Goalkeepers Jeff Attinella and Aljaz Ivacic are both questionable. Attinella has a shoulder issue, and Ivacic is dealing with a back injury. Midfielder Andy Polo is questionable due to a hip injury.
Player to Watch
You cannot have a better start than what we have seen from Portland’s Brian Fernandez since making the move to the MLS. While some Argentines have flopped after coming to the US, Fernandez has sizzled. He notched a brace against Seattle last weekend, and he now has eight goals in nine league games. The 24-year-old has been on fire for the past year, notching 11 goals in 12 matches for Union La Calera in Chile and 16 goals in 30 matches for Liga MX side Necaxa.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The Galaxy have a habit of coming out flat in road games, and that’s why Portland is a heavy favorite per the MLS betting odds. LA just doesn’t have the same form outside of the City of Angels, while the Timbers have been great in the Rose City over their history.
I think Fernandez will find his way onto the scorer’s sheet again in a game that Portland controls most of the way. The Galaxy just don’t have the playmakers outside of Ibra to get a result here.
Major League Soccer Odds: Portland Timbers 2, Los Angeles Galaxy 1
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