- Portland Timbers are the favorites for this MLS fixture.
- Both teams have scored in just two of New England’s last five MLS games, indicating inconsistency in attack and defence.
- New England’s players, notably defender Tanner Beason, produced a record-breaking 3-3 comeback against the Colorado Rapids in their latest MLS fixture.
Timbers and Revolution to tussle for playoff positions in the Rose City
Portland Timbers are looking for their own momentum after a poor start to the season and can find some of their old spark in the form of Evander or Santiago Moreno when they face the New England Revolution on Sunday. This Portland Timbers vs New England Revolution preview highlights a pivotal matchup in the MLS playoff race, with the home side looking to establish some momentum to carry them through the summer.
Ten years after their MLS Cup triumph in 2015, Portland will be looking to make home advantage count again at Providence Park where the artificial turf and passionate fans have helped them earn some unlikely results in the regular season. Phil Neville – if reports that he is in charge are true – deploys structured defending and rapid transitions, and the players respond with pragmatic discipline.
The Timbers are set up to defend well with a quick transition into the attack when they win the ball back and the team structure can vary from 4-2-3-1 to a more fluid 4-3-3 shape. Maximiliano Urruti’s brilliant header during New England Revolution's record-breaking 3-3 comeback versus Colorado Rapids was his second MLS goal of the season and should signal the arrival of New England as playoff contenders. For more insight, our Portland Timbers vs New England Revolution prediction suggests that both teams have key strengths that could decide the outcome.
Revs are a tough team to beat
Caleb Porter, manager of New England Revolution, is another seasoned MLS veteran with over 400 games as a head coach and his side showed they are tough to defeat after producing a record-breaking 3-3 comeback versus Colorado Rapids in the last round of fixtures.
New England’s philosophy is possession-based and they like to build from the back in a 4-2-3-1 or diamond, controlling the game and looking for overloads in midfield.
Porter has instilled a strong mentality in this squad, which was evident last week, and in Tanner Beason’s decisive assist.
He is a defender, but his creativity from the deepest position helped to spearhead the comeback that saw striker Maximiliano Urruti’s header finish the job.
But the value is with the Timbers on the Portland Timbers vs New England Revolution odds of -105 at home, whereas New England are +260 and a draw is +240.
Take the Timbers to prevail in a very tight game
This game will be close as neither team has been in great form recently and both are desperate to find momentum to put them into the playoff zone over the summer. According to our Portland Timbers vs New England Revolution prediction, Portland have home-field advantage and the tenth anniversary of their 2015 MLS Cup win will be a reminder for them to play with pride.
The match will be a tight matchup, but Portland have a better chance of winning it due to home-field advantage and because they can hurt New England on the counter attack if they push forward with numbers. The Revs will be high on morale after their record-breaking 3-3 comeback so shouldn’t be written off, but our main selection will be for the Timbers to take the three points. Additionally, this is a great opportunity to consult Portland Timbers vs New England Revolution betting tips if you’re considering a wager.
A smaller play on the BTTS market could be possible for this clash given recent defensive lapses and the visitors’ rediscovered scoring touch. Our final Portland Timbers vs New England Revolution prediction is a narrow victory for the host in what should be an exciting and closely-contested match.
