Los Angeles Galaxy vs Portland Timbers Prediction & Betting Tips

Recent form: mixed results on both sides

Portland's last 20 matches, spanning MLS, the Leagues Cup and a run of friendlies, have produced eight wins, four draws and eight losses. They've scored plenty, 43 goals, but shipped 35 too, so games involving them tend to be open.

Los Angeles Galaxy: 20 completed matches; Portland Timbers: 20 completed matches.

Los Angeles Galaxy

20 matches

Win

35% 7 / 20

Draw

30% 6 / 20

Loss

35% 7 / 20

Scored

22

Conceded

30

Difference

-8

Portland Timbers

20 matches

Win

40% 8 / 20

Draw

20% 4 / 20

Loss

40% 8 / 20

Scored

43

Conceded

35

Difference

+8

Galaxy's equivalent sample reads seven wins, six draws and seven losses, with just 22 scored and 30 conceded. They draw more often than Portland but haven't found the net with the same regularity.

Neither side has strung together a run of results that points clearly one way.

Comparative Team Statistics: Los Angeles Galaxy vs Portland Timbers

Head-to-head: a fixture with a habit of goals

The last four meetings have gone 1-1, 1-0, 4-2 and 1-1, a blend of tight games and one heavier win. Further back this fixture has thrown up some big scorelines in both directions, including a 5-2 and a 6-3.

None of that older history tells us much about either side as they stand now, but it's a series that rarely produces a dull goalless draw.

Standings: separated by a single point

Galaxy are eighth with 33 points from 27 games, Portland ninth with 32 from 26. Oddly, Portland's goal difference (-1) is healthier than Galaxy's (-8), despite playing one fewer match.

It's about as tight a picture as you'll find between two sides in the same league table right now.

Team news: assorted knocks on both sides

Galaxy's main creative outlet, M. Reus, has seven assists this season and will be central to how they build attacks. Portland's David Pereira da Costa matches that tally and carries similar creative weight for the Timbers.

Los Angeles Galaxy:

Best assist providers:

M. Reus - 7

Penalty cards:

C. Garcés x 3 x 4

Injury list:

E. Wynder

Portland Timbers:

Best assist providers:

David Pereira da Costa - 7

Penalty cards:

K. Miller x 1 x 4

J. Fory x 1 x 3

Injury list:

A. Bonetig

D. Chara

C. Bassett

Galaxy have doubts over Wynder, Paintsil and Roberto, with Puig out through a knee issue, while Lozano and Miller are away on international duty. Portland's list is longer, with Bonetig, Chara, Bassett, Aravena and Caicedo all questionable, Bye, McGraw, Mosquera, Muse and Surman all missing through various issues, and Waterman suspended after picking up yellow cards.

This snapshot is taken a few weeks out from kickoff, so some of these situations may well change before matchday.

Portland's absentee list is longer right now, though there's time for it to clear up before kickoff.

What kind of game to expect

Both sides have leaked goals this season, and their head-to-head history backs that up. Portland especially have been involved in some high-scoring affairs lately, netting 43 in their last 20 matches across competitions.

Galaxy have been tighter at the back relative to their own attack, but they still concede regularly enough that a clean sheet from either team wouldn't be the obvious outcome.