On a five-game unbeaten streak coming out of the international break, the Portland Timbers look to continue their second half surge with a home game against the rival Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday. The Cascadia Cup match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Providence Park (TV on Fox 12 Plus).
The Oregonian/OregonLive has Three Points to watch for Portland vs. Vancouver:
1. CARDS AND KIDS
The personnel Portland will have starting in the central midfield is a question for Sunday. Eryk Williamson is suspended due to yellow card accumulation, and Cristhian Paredes just welcomed a new baby into his family.
Both of those factors being at play with the latter likely limiting Paredes’ contribution even if he is available, there is an opportunity for players like David Ayala to step in and play more prominent roles. Ayala may start on Sunday, Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said.
2. ONE HAND ON THE CUP
The Timbers are in pole position to capture this season’s Cascadia Cup with six points and wins over both Seattle and Vancouver this season. A win in their second matchup with the Whitecaps on Sunday would all but seal it.
A victory for the Timbers would eliminate the Whitecaps from cup contention and put Seattle in a position of not being able to lose a point in either of its two remaining games in Cascadia Cup play. A win or draw for Portland against Seattle on August 26 would seal the deal at that point.
3. SCORING IS HARD
The Whitecaps are struggling as of late, sitting at a -11 goal differential, good for second-worst in the Western Conference behind last-place Sporting Kansas City (-16). Still, Vancouver has been able to pull off enough narrow results — including a recent 1-0 win over first-place LAFC — to stay in the playoff hunt and just one point behind the ninth-place Timbers in the standings.
Portland has a +3 goal differential this season, though, a number boosted significantly by its recent run of play. And a total of 32 goals this season for Portland dwarfs Vancouver’s 22 total. If the Timbers maintain their form, a lop-sided win could be in the cards.
— Ryan Clarke, rclarke@oregonian.com