MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, July 18, 2020
Kickoff: 5 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Orlando, Fla.) Forecast: Partly cloudy, 86 degrees
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referees: Kyle Atkins, Cory Richardson Fourth Official: Victor Rivas
VAR: Joe Dickerson
NATIONAL TV: ESPN
Talent: Adrian Healey (play-by-play), Alejandro Moreno (analyst), Stefano Fusaro (sideline reporter)
English Radio: 750 The Game
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Nat Borchers (analyst), Judah Newby (host)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
MATCH PREVIEW
The Timbers continue Group F play in the MLS is Back Tournament on Saturday, July 18, at 5 p.m. (Pacific), squaring off against the Houston Dynamo at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The match will feature a national broadcast on ESPN, with local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).
Saturday’s match marks the 17th regular-season meeting between the Timbers and the Houston Dynamo in MLS, with Portland leading the series 6-5-5. In the past six regular-season meetings between the two clubs dating back to March 18, 2017, the Timbers have only lost once, holding a record of 3-1-2 against the Dynamo. In the last meeting between Portland and Houston, Diego Valeri tallied a goal and three assists. With his next appearance, Valeri will have appeared in 250 matches across all competitions for the Timbers since joining the club in 2013.
In their opening match in the MLS is Back Tournament, the Dynamo played Los Angeles FC to a 3-3 draw on July 13. Midfielder Memo Rodriguez tallied two goals in the result against LAFC. In his first appearance of the 2020 campaign, midfielder Alberth Elis tallied a goal against LAFC. Elis has registered at least 10 assists in back-to-back campaigns (2018, 2019).
SCOUTING HOUSTON DYNAMO
Entering Saturday’s second Group F stage match against Portland, the Houston Dynamo (0-1-2, 2pts) are coming off a 3-3 draw against Los Angeles FC on July 13 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Midfielder Memo Rodriguez tallied two goals in the draw against LAFC on Monday. In 26 appearances last season, Rodriguez made 26 appearances (16 starts), tallying seven goals and five assists. In 83 appearances league appearances (68 starts) for Houston, midfielder Alberth Elis has registered 31 goals and 24 assists. Defender Zarek Valentin, who played for the Timbers from 2016-19, has made three appearances for Houston in 2020.
TIMBERS AGAINST THE DYNAMO
In 13 career regular-season appearances against the Houston Dynamo, Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri has tallied seven goals and eight assists. Sebastián Blanco has tallied two goals and one assist in five regular-season appearances against Houston. Marvin Loría made his MLS debut for the Timbers against Houston, tallying his first career goal in a 4-0 home win against the Dynamo at Providence Park on June 22, 2019.
JEBO HITTING HIS STRIDE
Timbers forward Jeremy Ebobisse scored the opening goal, his first of the 2020 campaign, for Portland in a 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy on July 13 in the MLS is Back Tournament. In his third season with the Timbers in 2019, Ebobisse, 23, finished tied for first on the team with 11 goals and was the only player on the roster to appear in all 34 league games. Across all competitions, Ebobisse registered 12 goals and two assists across 39 appearances (30 starts) in 2019. No- tably, Ebobisse was one of three players in MLS aged 22 or younger with 11 or more goals scored in league play last year. Additionally, Ebobisse has played in 56 consecutive matches across all competitions, dating back to Sept. 8, 2018, when he scored the game-winning goal in a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.
SEBA BLANCO AT A GLANCE
After scoring a goal and an assist against the LA Galaxy on July 13, Sebastián Blanco has now tallied 30 goals and 33 assists in 111 appearances (105 starts) for the Timbers across all competitions. In 35 appearances (34 starts) for Portland across all competitions in 2019, Blanco tallied seven goals and 13 assists. Since entering the league in 2017, Blanco has scored six goals from outside the box in regular-season and postseason play combined. Notably, Blanco’s 76 chances created from open play ranked tied for second in league play in 2019.
STEVE CLARK AT A GLANCE
Portland goalkeeper Steve Clark stopped a penalty kick for the second time in his Timbers career in a 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy on July 13. In his second season with the Timbers, Clark finished the regular season with a career-best goals-against average of 1.04, while tallying 84 saves, six shutouts and posting a record of 13-6-5. Notably, Clark was named the Supporters’ Player of the Year for the 2019 campaign.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Saturday’s match marks the 17th regular-season meeting between the Timbers and the Houston Dynamo in MLS, with Portland leading the series 6-5-5. In the past six regular-season meetings between the two clubs dating back to March
18, 2017, the Timbers are 3-1-2. In 13 regular-season appearances against the Dynamo, midfielder Diego Valeri has tallied seven goals and eight assists. In seven matches against the Timbers, Houston forward Mauro Manotas has scored seven goals.
