Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes | 2020 MLS Match Preview

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 17
Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Providence Park – Portland
October 11– 10:00 PM ET

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US; on DAZN in Canada

LOCAL TV: FOX 12 Plus (KPDX) , NBC Sports California

The Portland Timbers are looking to extend their winning streak to five matches when they meet a San Jose Earthquakes side that have won three in a row Sunday night at Providence Park.

The Timbers (8W-4L-3D) are coming off a 6-3 blasting of the LA Galaxy in Carson to remain within striking distance of first-place Seattle in the Western Conference table. Once left for dead, the Earthquakes (5W-6L-5D) have won three straight after beating the Whitecaps, 3-0, at home Wednesday to move up to seventh in the West. 

This is the third meeting this season with the Timbers claiming a 6-1 win in San Jose Sept. 19, three days after the teams played to a 1-1 draw at Earthquakes Stadium. San Jose have never beaten the Timbers at Providence Park in 12 all-time regular season meetings. 

Portland Timbers

The Timbers attacking is firing on all cylinders and following a 6-3 road win over the Galaxy, they have outscored opponents 14-4 in their current four-match winning streak. On Wednesday, Jeremy Ebobisse struck for a brace to lead the charge and eventually earn him MLS Player of the Week honors. 

Although the Timbers are flying in the attacking third, Giovanni Savarese, a pretty good striker in his own day, isn't satisfied. 

"We could have been better offensively in some moments, and I think we could have been better to not allow the second and third goal, with keeping the game a little more in control," Savarese said. "Overall, though, it was a very strong performance, and I'm extremely proud of this group of guys, that whoever comes into the match is performing in a very strong way." 

• Updated team roster
• Injury Report:
  • OUT: Dairon Asprilla (M) - left knee injury
  • OUT: Blake Bodily (M) - right thigh injury
  • OUT: Sebastian Blanco (M) - right ACL injury
  • OUT: Julio Cascante (D) - left ankle injury
  • QUESTIONABLE: Chris Duvall (D) - right lower leg injury
• Suspended: Cristhian Paredes (M)
• Suspended after next caution: Eryk Williamson (M)
• International duty:  Andy Polo (M)

San Jose Earthquakes

This time there would be no late-game drama for the Goonies. After consecutive late victories over both LA squads, San Jose had a little more breathing room Wednesday with Cristian Espinoza, Andy Rios and Paul Marie scoring second-half goals against a Whitecaps side that ended the match with nine men. .

“There are no excuses. We have to fight. We know how this team can fight,” Matias Almeyda said after the match. “The work these guys have done and all of San Jose has been good. We’ll look to keep this up, knowing it’s difficult.”

"What I ask the players is to stay calm: calm when we lose and calm when we win," he added. "Because soccer is always changing and sometimes people are slaves to their words. We only have these words: work, conviction, fellowship, faith. And faith is fundamental and that’s what I try to transmit. I believe in work, I believe in the people and I believe in the players I coach.”

• Updated team roster
• Injury Report:
  • OUT: Casey Walls (D) - thigh injury
  • OUT: Danny Hoesen (F) - thigh injury
• Suspended: Florian Jungwirth (D)
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty:  Guram Kashia (D), Vako (M), Marcos Lopez (D)

Series Matchup at Timbers

• Timbers: 9 wins, 23 goals
• Earthquakes: 0 wins, 9 goals
• 3 draws

Officials

• Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
• Assistant Referees: Logan Brown, Jeremy Hanson
• 4th Official: Farhad Dadkho
• VAR: Joseph Dickerson