With both teams already guaranteed post-season football, Seattle Sounders will host Portland Timbers at Lumen Field on Sunday in their final fixture of the regular Major League Soccer season.
However, the Timbers, currently ninth in the table, still have an opportunity to finish in eighth place, which would see them play as hosts in the Western Conference Wild Card game.
Match preview
Seattle Sounders will hope to maintain their impressive run to end the season on a high, having drawn one and won five of their last six matches, including a hard-fought 1-0 victory away at Colorado Rapids in their most recent league game.
The Sounders edged most of the important stats in the game, including the one that mattered the most, courtesy of a 48th-minute goal from midfielder Albert Rusnak.
The win saw Brian Schmetzer's men take their points tally to 56, which leaves them third in the Western Conference, but they can still finish as low as fourth as they are tied on points and goal difference with fourth-placed Real Salt Lake heading into the final fixture of the regular season.
While they have already secured a place in the post-season playoffs for a second consecutive season regardless of their position, the Sounders still have something at stake heading into the final day, as they can also secure a 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup spot via their place in the overall league table.
A win on Sunday will take the hosts to 59 points, which could see them finish above either Real Salt Lake or Cincinnati on tiebreakers in the overall table, securing continental football.
However, the Sounders have picked up just one win in their last nine encounters against their next opponent, losing five and drawing three.
Portland Timbers needed a single point to assure themselves a place in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs heading into their most recent match against Dallas, and they successfully secured a goalless draw in what was their last regular season game at Providence Park in this campaign.
In a game that had 17 shots on target all together, the Timbers had goalkeeper James Pantemis, who was making his first start since July 20, to thank, as he made seven saves, his most in a game since October 23, 2021.
This marks Portland's first postseason qualification since 2021, and an eighth in the club's history, while it is also the first under head coach Phil Neville, who joined the team in November 2023.
However, the Timbers will have to play a single-elimination match in the post-season wild card game, as they cannot finish above eighth anymore. Currently in ninth, a positive result for them on Sunday and anything but a win for eighth-placed Vancouver who visit Real Salt Lake, will see Neville's men clinch eighth and play as the hosts in the wild card game.
Having not won any of their last four away games across all competitions, including a loss and two draws in the MLS, Portland must dig deep to pick up a first away win at Seattle since 2022.
Team News
Joao Paulo is expected to remain sidelined with a groin injury, while 34-year-old Raul Ruidiaz is also still a long way from fully recovering from a damaged knee, ruling both players out for the Seattle Sounders.
Jordan Morris leads the goalscorers' chart for the Sounders with 13 MLS goals, and he will hope to end a three-match goal drought when he leads the line once again.
The Timbers will remain without 26-year-old forward Mason Toye due to a back injury he picked up in their defeat against Austin on October 3.
Jonathan Rodriguez, who is Portland's leading scorer in the MLS with 16 goals, will be the man to watch as the team hopes to end a run of two matches without a goal.
Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; Nouhou, Ragen, Gomez, A. Roldan; Vargas, C. Roldan; Rothrock, Rusnak, Vega; Morris
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Pantemis; Mosquera, Zuparic, Miller, Bravo; Chara, Ayala; Moreno, Evander, Rodriguez; Mora
We say: Seattle Sounders 1-1 Portland Timbers
Based on their recent form, Seattle Sounders are the favourites in this clash, but Portland Timbers have historically performed well in this fixture and have shown defensive resilience in recent matches, which is why we are predicting a draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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