The Basics
Houston Dynamo vs. Portland Timbers
Monday, October 30, 2017, 8:30 p.m. CT
BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas
Broadcast Information
FS1 – 8:30 p.m. (CHANNEL LISTINGS)
650 AM/Radio.com app – 8:00 p.m.
Univision Radio 1010 AM – 8:00 p.m.
Preview
The top seed in the Western Conference, the Portland Timbers, kick off their Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs campaign against the hottest team in the West in the Houston Dynamo. The Timbers timed their ascent to the summit just right, as they lost just three of their final 13 MLS regular season games, and with MLS MVP candidate Diego Valeri in fine form, the Timbers are right to be confident of their postseason prospects.
But while the Timbers finished atop the pack in the regular season and are mostly healthy (striker Fanendo Adi remains a question mark coming into the Conference Semifinals), the Dynamo are in blistering form at the moment, unbeaten in seven, including a 1-0 Knockout Round win in 120 minutes against Sporting Kansas City on Thursday. While three of those seven games came against Sporting, leaving one to wonder if the Dynamo's surge is largely connected to figuring out SKC, Wilmer Cabrera's roster, perhaps one of the deeper in the West, has been rolling. While the loss of A.J. DeLaGarza to a season-ending injury just prior to the playoffs and the early exit of Leonardo in the Knockout Round due to injury is a concern in the back, the attacking corps of the Dynamo are among the deepest around, and Cabrera's selections may keep Timbers coach Caleb Porter on his toes.
Houston Dynamo
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next yellow card: D Phillippe Senderos, M Ricardo Clark, D Adolfo Machado, F Romell Quioto, F Alberth Elis
- International Duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT: D George Malki (torn ACL), M Memo Rodriguez (knee), D AJ DeLaGarza (torn ACL); D Leonardo
Projected Starting Lineup
(4-2-3-1, left to right)
GK: Tyler Deric – DaMarcus Beasley, Adolfo Machado, Phillippe Senderos, Jalil Anibaba – Juan David Cabezas, Ricardo Clark – Alex, Tomas Martinez, Alberth Elis – Mauro Manotas
Portland Timbers
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next yellow card: None
- International Duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT: D Gbenga Arokoyo (Achilles), D Chance Myers (ankle); QUESTIONABLE: F Fanendo Adi (hamstring)
Projected Starting Lineup
(4-2-3-1 left to right)
GK: Jeff Attinella – Vytas Andriuskevicius, Liam Ridgewell, Larrys Mabiala, Alvas Powell – Diego Chara, David Guzman – Darlington Nagbe, Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco – Darren Mattocks
All-Time Series
This is the first-ever meeting between the Dynamo and Timbers in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Overall (regular season): Houston 4 wins (19 goals) … Portland 4 wins (19 goals) … Ties 4
- At HOU (regular season): Houston 3 wins (11 goals) … Portland 0 wins (6 goals) … Ties 3
Referees
Referee: Roberth Sibiga
Assistant Referees: Jeff Muschik, Jason White
4th Official: Sorin Stoica
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Chris Penso
