Timbers at Rapids
Kickoff: 6 p.m. Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce, Colo.
TV: KPDX 49 (cable Ch. 13).
Radio: AM 750.
Timbers (8-8-11, 35 points) — Missed opportunities were the story of Sunday’s 3-3 draw with San Jose as the Timbers dominated possession and created many chances. But three defensive lapses — two involving center backs Liam Ridgewell and Pa Modou Kah — undid a lot of good work. The result pushed Portland back behind Vancouver in the battle for the last Western Conference playoff spot. The Whitecaps (37 points), Timbers (35) and Colorado (30) all have seven matches remaining. Alvas Powell, who has scored in each of his last three Timbers appearances, played 74 minutes for Jamaica in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Canada. The Timbers will again be without Rodney Wallace, who is on the Costa Rica national team for the final of the Central American Cup on Saturday in Los Angeles. After getting assists on all three Timbers goals against San Jose, Diego Valeri is tied for third in MLS with 12 assists. The Timbers have never won at Colorado (0-4-1) and have been outscored 13-4 in those games.
Rapids (8-13-6, 30 points) — Colorado has lost seven games in a row, the most recent a 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy. In that game, goalkeeper Joe Nasco was sent off in the first minute for taking down Alan Gordon. Colorado trails fifth-place Vancouver by six points and sixth-place Portland by five points. So this should be a desperate group of Rapids In the last seven matches, Colorado has been outscored 22-6 and been shut out four times in the stretch. Injuries have played into Colorado’s struggles. Defenders Drew Moore and Shane O’Neill have been out for multiple games. O’Neill returned to practice this week but might not be ready on Saturday. Colorado added veteran English center back Zak Knight but he is not expected to be available for this match. Deshorn Brown leads the Rapids in goals (8) and shots (95, 36 on goal).
