Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City | 2019 MLS Match Preview
2019 MLS Regular Season – Week 27
Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City
Providence Park – Portland
September 7 – 10:30 PM ET
STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada
Separated by three points just below the playoff line in the Western Conference, the Portland Timbers host Sporting Kansas City in a critical six-pointer Saturday night at Providence Park.
The Timbers (12-11-4) are two points below the playoff line following a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake at Providence Park Saturday night. Diego Valeri capitalized on a midfield turnover and slipped a knuckling shot past Nick Rimando for the game's lone goal in the 16th minute. Portland finished with 10 men after Renzo Zambrano was shown a red card for putting his hands on referee Nima Saghafi.
Sporting Kansas City (10-11-7) extended a season-high winning streak to three games and moved within five points of the playoff line with a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo at Children's Mercy Park Saturday night. Johnny Russell headed in the lone goal in the 12th minute off an assist from Graham Smith.
Portland Timbers
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Kendall McIntosh (GK) - right foot injury
- OUT: Jeff Attinella (GK)- right shoulder injury
- OUT: Modou Jadama (D)- left foot injury
- OUT: Larrys Mabiala (D) - left thigh injury
- OUT: Julio Cascante (D) - left thigh injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Marco Farfan (M) - left knee injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Zarek Valentin (D) - left upper leg injury
- Suspended: Renzo Zambrano (M)
- Suspended after next caution: Larrys Mabiala (D)
- International duty: Andres Flores (M), Cristhian Paredes (M), Renzo Zambrano (M)
Sporting Kansas City
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Rodney Wallace (D) - hip injury
- OUT: Adrian Zendejas (GK) - back injury
- Suspended: Felipe Gutierrez (M)
- Suspended after next caution: Roger Espinoza (M)
- International duty: Felipe Gutierrez (M), Botond Barath (D), Krisztian Nemeth (F), Nicolas Hasler (D), Johnny Russell (F), Gianluca Busio (M)
Series Matchup at Timbers
- Timbers: 2 wins, 5 goals
- Sporting KC: 4 wins, 5 goals
- 2 draws
Officials
- Referee: Alex Chilowicz
- Assistant Referees: Jeremy Hanson, Cory Richardson
- 4th Official:Tim Ford
- VAR: Malik Badawi