The New York Red Bulls ceded first place in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday night when they were beaten on the road against New England.
They could run into more problems when they travel clear across the country on just a few days of notice to take on the Portland Timbers.
ODDS ANALYSIS
There are no odds posted for this match as of Wednesday night, but it is clear that the Western Conference reps are going to be favored in this match. Portland is still right in the thick of the fight in the West, sitting in that coveted No. 6 slot with just six matches left to play in the regular season, but anything from No. 1 to No. 10 is still entirely possible.
New York meanwhile, has a lot less pressure. Yes, the difference between first and fourth in the East is just a mere two points, but it would be virtually impossible to fall out of the playoffs entirely, even with a huge downfall at the end of the year.
KEY INJURIES
It's not so much the injuries as the suspensions that have us worried from New York's standpoint. Both Dax McCarty and Connor Lade picked up yellow cards on Wednesday, and both were on alert for suspension, and both will be forced to sit this match out. Add in the absences of both Chris Duvall and Roy Miller at the back, and there are real problems to be concerned with.
Portland enters this match as healthy as it has been all season long. Only long-term absentee Ben Zemanski is on the injury report.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We can't complicate it. We can't build more pressure on those guys. We just need to keep them loose. The quality is there. We're getting in positions. The goals will come." – Portland manager Caleb Porter on his team ranking second to last in the MLS in total goals with just 29 this season
RECENT FORM
The Timbers have had a week and a half to prepare for this match, as their last fixture was back on September 9. They haven't won since August 15, but the optimist can say that they have only lost once since July 18. The latter run of 2-3-1 is probably the more notable one, as that is what really has propelled this team back into the right side of the Western Conference playoff picture.
The Red Bulls watched their two-game winning streak come to a halt in New England on Wednesday night. What also ended was their run of five straight matches scoring at least two goals in that 2-1 loss.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Tactically speaking, this should be a game for the Red Bulls in this one. They should have the better offensive weapons, if for no other reason, Bradley Wright-Phillips is in fine form.
However, there's something to be said about the trip across the country on short notice, the home field advantage for the Timbers and the fact that they have played significantly better ball offensively than their total goal tally shows.
This might be the night the goal mouth opens just a bit at Providence Park. We're not sure where the scores are going to come from aside from Fanendo Adi, who leads the team with 10 strikes, but if this is the day that Jack Jewsbury gets back into top form, the Timbers will snare three critical points.
Portland 3, New York 1
The MLS lines for this contest will be first released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and totals. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between the Portland Timbers and the New York Red Bulls is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. ET at Providence Park. The match will be televised live on ESPN2.
