MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Nov. 4, 2020
Kickoff: 7 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Forecast: Scattered showers, 61 degrees
Referee: Joe Dickerson
Assistant Referees: Jose Da Silva, TJ Zablocki
Fourth Official: Luis Arroyo
VAR: Daniel Radford
Local TV: FOX 12 PLUS
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Nat Borchers (analyst), Ross Smith (analyst)
English Radio: 750 The Game
Talent: Keith Bleyer (play-by-play), Joe Sleven (analyst), Fletcher Johnson (host)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
LAST TIME OUT
The Portland Timbers received a second-half goal from Yimmi Chara to secure a 1-0 win against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Providence Park and moved to the top of the Western Conference standings on Nov. 1.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Wednesday’s match marks the 23rd league meeting between Portland and Colorado since the 2011 season. Heading into the contest, Portland leads the head to-head, regular-season series with a 10-7-5 record against the Rapids. In their last home match against Colorado, the Timbers played to a 2-2 draw against the Rapids at Providence Park on July 13, 2019. In 10 matches all-time at Providence Park against the Rapids, the Timbers hold a record of 8-1-1. In 14 regular-season appearances against the Colorado, Diego Valeri has tallied eight goals and three assists. Jorge Villafaña has tallied two goals against the Rapids in 14 regular-season appearances as a member of the Timbers.
JORGE VILLAFAÑA HITS 100 GAME MILESTONE
Jorge Villafaña tallied his fifth assist in league play this season in a 1-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Nov. 1. Notably, Villafaña became the ninth Timbers player to make 100 MLS regular-season appearances for the club in the win over Vancouver. Villafaña’s five assists equal a personal best set in 2015 and 2019 with the Timbers. Notably, Villafaña’s five assists ranks first amongst all MLS defenders during the regular season. In 21 appearances (20 starts) across all competitions for the Timbers in 2020, Villafaña has tallied five assists.
TIMBERS RUN OF FORM
In their last 13 matches played dating back to a 2-1 win on the road over Seattle Sounders FC on Sept. 6, Portland holds a record of 8-2-3. During that stretch, the Timbers rank first in MLS in goals scored (31), rank tied for second in the league in games won (8) and rank second behind only Philadelphia (+19) in goal differential (+15). Notably, the Timbers have had three different players score five or more goals (Jeremy Ebobisse, Felipe Mora, Jaroslaw Niezgoda) dating back to Sept. 6; the only team in MLS with that figure. Additionally, Eryk Williamson has tallied three goals, while Yimmi Chara and Diego Valeri have both tallied four goals dating back to Sept. 6. Notably, Yimmi Chara leads the league in assists (7) dating back to Sept. 6, while Diego Chara ranks tied for sixth in assists (6).
TIMBERS’ POTENT OFFENSE
In 21 regular-season matches during the 2020 campaign, the Portland Timbers lead MLS in goals scored (45) and in assists (46). As a team, Portland ranks first in the league in headed goals (12). The Timbers are one of two teams in MLS with two players with eight or more goals scored (Jeremy Ebobisse, Diego Valeri), and the only team in MLS with four players that have scored seven or more goals scored (Ebobisse, Felipe Mora, Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Valeri).
EBOBISSE SUPPORTERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR
In 18 appearances (11 starts) during the 2020 regular-season campaign, Jeremy Ebobisse has tallied a team-leading eight goals and two assists. Ebobisse’s eight goals scored ranks tied for fifth in the league. Notably, Ebobisse was named the Supporters’ Players of the Year following a 1-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Nov. 1 at Providence Park. Since the start of the 2019 MLS regular season, Ebobisse ranks first amongst all MLS players in headed goals (8), with Kei Kamara and Zlatan Ibrahimovic ranking tied for second (7). Additionally, Ebobisse played in 60 consecutive regular-season matches for the Timbers, and missed his first game in over two years after missing out on the Seattle Sounders FC match on Oct. 22 due to injury.
MLS’ NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR NOMINEE MAKING HISTORY
Against the LA Galaxy on Oct. 28, Yimmi Chara tallied four assists and earned a penalty, becoming the first player in MLS history to achieve that feat in a single match. Notably, Chara’s four assists are tied for the most assists in a single game in MLS history, joining Carlos Valderrama, Chris Henderson, Dwayne De Rosario, Landon Donovan, and Lee Nguyen as the only players to achieve the feat. In 20 appearances for the Timbers across all competitions in 2020, Chara has tallied four goals and eight assists. Chara’s eight assists ranks fourth in the league in 2020.
DEPTH ON DISPLAY
Across all competitions in 2020, 28 players have appeared in at least one match for Portland, while 14 different players have scored at least one goal and 15 different players have recorded at least one assist. Andy Polo tallied his first goal in league play in 2020, while Pablo Bonilla tallied his first career assist for the Timbers in the 5-2 win over the LA Galaxy on Oct. 28 at Providence Park. In total 19 players featured across seven games in the MLS is Back Tournament for the Timbers, and 15 of those 19 players appeared in at least three games during the tournament.
