Neither team will be at full strength when the Portland Timbers visit Sporting Kansas City on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. and the game will be televised by Fox.
The Timbers, who have struggled through injury challenges all season, might actually be the healthier side for this match between two teams that figure to battle over the next three months for a playoff spot. Sporting Kansas City might not be able to suit up the allotted seven substitutes.
Among the SKC players expected to miss the match with injuries are wingers Graham Zusi and Brad Davis, midfielder Paulo Nagamura and forward Justin Mapp.
Both SKC and Portland will be without a key center back because Matt Besler and Liam Ridgewell missed Thursday’s all-star game. Under a new rule, all-stars who do not play in that game must miss their club’s next league match. Besler (knee) and Ridgewell (thigh) both missed their club’s previous league match.
Timbers coach Caleb Porter and SKC coach Peter Vermes each expressed disappointment with the new rule.
Still seeking their first win away from home this season, the Timbers are coming off of their first loss in 10 league games. Portland is especially thin at center back. Nat Borchers is out for the season, so Jermaine Taylor and Amobi Okugo are likely to pair against Kansas City.
The Timbers are expected to sign a defender or two next week in an effort to solidify their depleted back line.
This is the first of seven road matches remaining for the Timbers. Porter said his team probably needs two or three wins on the road down the stretch to make the playoffs in the competitive Western Conference.
Portland (7-7-8) enters this match seventh in the conference with 29 points from 22 games played. The top six teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs. Entering today’s action, five points separate fourth-place SKC and eighth-place San Jose.
The Timbers enter their final 12 matches of the regular season with a history of successful stretch runs. Portland has won six of its final 12 matches in each of Porter’s first three seasons at the helm, going 18-7-11 combined.
