San Jose Earthquakes vs Portland Timbers Prediction & Betting Tips

Recent form doesn't match the table

Looking at each side's last 20 fixtures across all competitions, San Jose have actually won just 5 with 9 defeats, while Portland have won 8 with 8 losses in their equivalent run. Those samples mix in cup and friendly matches alongside league games, so they're not a pure guide to current league form, but the goal numbers stand out either way.

What could your bet return?

1

San Jose Earthquakes to win

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Odds1.95

Potential return

£39.00

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X

Draw

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Odds4

Potential return

£80.00

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2

Portland Timbers to win

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Odds3.4

Potential return

£68.00

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Potential returns include your stake. Odds may change.

San Jose Earthquakes: 20 completed matches; Portland Timbers: 20 completed matches.

San Jose Earthquakes

20 matches

Win

25% 5 / 20

Draw

30% 6 / 20

Loss

45% 9 / 20

Scored

29

Conceded

40

Difference

-11

Portland Timbers

20 matches

Win

40% 8 / 20

Draw

20% 4 / 20

Loss

40% 8 / 20

Scored

43

Conceded

35

Difference

+8

San Jose have conceded 40 in that stretch and Portland 35, so neither defence has looked settled recently, even though San Jose remain the higher-placed side overall.

Both teams have been leaking goals fairly consistently in their recent matches, whatever the competition.

A fixture that keeps producing goals

These two have met close to twenty times since 2020 across MLS, the US Open Cup, Leagues Cup and friendlies, and the results have swung both ways. The most recent MLS meeting, back in May, finished 3-1 to Portland away at San Jose, while San Jose won 4-1 in their own backyard the year before that.

A good number of these meetings have finished with three or more goals on the board, regardless of who's hosted.

This fixture has rarely stayed quiet, even when the two sides have been in different form.

League positions tell part of the story

San Jose are fifth with 42 points from 26 games, having won 12, drawn 6 and lost 8. Portland are ninth with 32 points from the same number of matches, winning 9, drawing 5 and losing 12.

The gap in the table is real, but it's not built on defensive solidity from San Jose. They've shipped 38 goals this season, and Portland have actually scored more than them despite the lower finish, with 47 to San Jose's 46.

San Jose's higher position comes from turning games into wins rather than keeping them tight.

Fitness concerns on both sides

Portland have a longer list of unavailable or doubtful players, with entries covering lower-body, foot, knee and wrist issues, plus one player out through yellow-card accumulation. That's a fair number of names to be missing regardless of exact roles.

San Jose Earthquakes:

Best scorers:

P. Judd - 13

Best assist providers:

N. Tsakiris - 7

Penalty cards:

P. Judd x 7

R. Roberts x 7

B. Kikanovic x 7

Injury list:

N. Adimabua

O. Bouda

A. Gunn

D. Jones

R. Vieira

D. Johnson

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

B. Bye

Z. McGraw

J. Mosquera

T. Muse

F. Surman

J. Waterman

A. Aravena

J. Caicedo

San Jose's absentee list is shorter and includes a few players away on international duty alongside a couple of longer-term injury cases. On the attacking side, San Jose's P. Judd has 13 goals in 24 games this season, and both sides have a playmaker with 7 assists apiece in David Pereira da Costa and N. Tsakiris.

Portland look the more stretched squad on paper, though it's not confirmation of the exact starting eleven.

Goals look nailed on

Put the numbers together and a clear theme emerges. San Jose have shipped 38 goals in the league, Portland 48, and both attacks have shown they can score plenty too. The head-to-head record backs this up, with several recent meetings finishing three goals or more combined.

With both leading scorers and creators in decent recent touch, and neither defence looking watertight, this has the shape of an open game rather than a cagey one.