At 10:30 PM on Wednesday, September 18th, the Los Angeles Galaxy will travel to take on the Portland Timbers in an MLS matchup. This game will be played at Providence Park in Portland, OR. The Galaxy are the top team in the Western Conference and have a record of 16-6-7. They have a money line payout of +200. The Timbers are 8th in the Western Conference and have a record of 11-10-7. Their money line payout is +102, and the payout for a draw is +320. The over/under goal line is 3.5 goals.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Los Angeles Galaxy at Portland Timbers
- Where: Portland, OR at Providence Park
- Date: Wednesday, September 18th
- Betting Odds POR +102 | LAG +200 O/U 3.5
Los Angeles Galaxy Preview
The Los Angeles Galaxy are currently in first place in the Western Conference, with a record of 16-6-7. They have been strong at home, going 11-1-3, but have struggled on the road, going 5-5-4. Over their last seven matches, they have gone 5-2, with their only losses coming against St. Louis City SC and FC Dallas. Following this match against the Portland Timbers, they will be back at home to take on Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Overall, they are in second place in the league, trailing Inter Miami CF by seven points.
Los Angeles Galaxy has been one of the most efficient offenses in the MLS this season, ranking second in goals scored and shots on goal. Dejan Joveljić has been their top scorer, ranking ninth in the league with 14 goals. Gabriel Chaves has been their leader in shots on goal, ranking second in the league, and he also has 11 goals, which is 22nd in the MLS. He is also the team's leader in assists, ranking seventh in the league. Overall, the Galaxy have been the most accurate passing team in the league, completing 88.4% of their passes.
Heading into their match against the Portland Timbers, the Los Angeles Galaxy's defense is 10th in the MLS, allowing 1.4 goals per match. Over their last four matches, they have given up six goals (1.5 per match). They are 4th in blocked shots and 15th in interceptions. John McCarthy is 13th in clean sheets and 2nd in saves. Overall, the Galaxy's defense has struggled, giving up two goals to the 20th ranked offense in St. Louis City SC and two goals to the 7th ranked offense in Los Angeles FC.
Portland Timbers Preview
Through 28 matches, the Portland Timbers have a record of 11-10-7, putting them 8th in the Western Conference. They have been much better at home, going 8-2-4, compared to just 3-8-3 on the road. Overall, they have been favored in 12 matches, going 8-1-3, while going 3-9-4 as the underdog. Over their last four matches, they have gone 1-2-1, with their only win coming against the 13th ranked team in the Western Conference, St. Louis City SC. Following this match against the Los Angeles Galaxy, they will be on the road against Real Salt Lake on September 22nd.
Jonathan Rodríguez is the top scorer for the Portland Timbers this season, and his 13 goals are 13th in the league. He also leads the club in shots on goal, which is 14th in MLS. Evander is the club's leader in assists and is second in the league in that category. He has also scored 12 goals this season. Portland is third in the league in goals per match at 2.0, and they are ninth in shots on goal. They have had fewer corners than their opponents in 53.6% of their matches this season.
Heading into their match against the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Portland Timbers' defense is 21st in MLS, allowing 1.7 goals per match. Over their last four matches, they have given up an average of 2.2 goals per match. They are 18th in blocked shots and 11th in interceptions. Keeper Maxime Crépeau is 29th in saves and has just one clean sheet this season.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers Head To Head
The Los Angeles Galaxy and Portland Timbers have already faced off once this season, with Los Angeles taking the victory by a score of 3-2. In that match, Los Angeles had six shots on goal compared to four for Portland.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs Portland Timbers Free Pick
Even though the Timbers are giving up more goals on the season compared to the Galaxy, our projections have this match ending in a 2-1 win for Portland. Jonathan Rodriguez is being given the best odds to score a goal for the Timbers, and he has helped lead a Portland offense that is 3rd in goals scored and 3rd in shooting percentage. On the other side, look for Marco Reus to find the net for the Galaxy. Our projections are giving Rodriguez a 28% chance of scoring a goal.
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Pick: Portland Timbers +102
