Houston Dynamo vs. Portland Timber Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 9/4/21

Portland is coming off a huge win and they head to the Lone Star State to take on a Houston team that is in the basement of the Western Conference.

Portland was winless in three matches, two losses one draw, before winning their last game shutting out the Seattle Sounders, who have the most points in the West. The team is in the sixth spot in the West and their defense had struggled before their last match where they kept a clean sheet.

Houston is reeling winless in their last 15 matches and they have only scored 24 goals in 20 matches. On top of that, the club has given up the third-most goals in the Western Conference. One thing the Dynamo have going for them is that earlier in the season they played to a 2-2 draw facing the Timbers.

Turning Things Around

In the Timbers' last game they were on the road and beat the Seattle Sounders 2-0 after losing to them 6-2 at home three matches earlier. Sebastián Blanco opened the scoring in the 58th minute with Felipe Mora scoring in injury time and he also assisted on the first goal. Portland won the match even though they lost the time of possession battle (55% to 45%), were outshot 16-10 and had fewer shots on target (5-2). The Timbers have given up the most goals in the West and had given up 10 in three matches in a row before the shutout against the Sounders in their last match.

More leads the club with eight goals and is also the leader with three assists. Dairon Asprilla in the only other player with more than two goals with five and while Portland is still in the playoff race they are tied with Houston for the worst goal differential in the West (-10). DF Claudio Bravo is listed as questionable for this match and MF Eryk Williamson recently landed on the out list for an undisclosed reason.

Blazing Start in Loss

In going winless in their 15th match in a row Houston scored a goal in the first minute but ended up with a 2-1 home loss against Minnesota United FC. Adalberto Carrasquilla sco0red the lone goal early in the match where the time of possession, shots, and shots on target was relatively even. The Dynamo lost to Minnesota for the second time in under a month and they could not take advantage of a club that was winless in their previous three matches. Houston has one draw and one loss facing Portland this season where they gave up two goals in each match.

Fabrice Picault is tied for the Houston lead with Maximiliano Urruti with six goals and also leads the team with three assists. The Dynamo have given up at least two goals in each of their last six matches where they have five losses and a draw. FW Tyler Pasher, MF Marko Maric, and DF Ethan Bartlow are all listed as questionable for the Portland match.

Trends

The Portland Timbers are:

NA

The Houston Dynamo are:

0-5-10 in their last 15 matches

0-4-2 in their last 6 home matches

Pick: Portland +225

Houston has struggled on the defensive side of the pitch all season and they have given up two goals in each of the matches facing Portland this season. Look for their D to struggle again facing a Timbers’ team that is coming off a big win in their last match. The Timbers were winless in three matches where that streak started with a 6-2 home loss to the Sounders but they beat them 2-0 in their last match. They are chasing a playoff spot despite being tied with Houston for the worst goal differential in the West. I look for a close match in this one but for Portland to build on their last match and get the W in this one.

Total: Over 2.5 goals

I am leaning towards the Over in this match, as I think the Houston D will struggle but their attack will score at least one goal. The Dynamo have scored three goals in the two matches against the Timbers this season where they took a loss and a draw. They will not be held scoreless in this Western Conference encounter but they will give up at least two goals and they will have issues with the Timbers’ counterattack. This match will be a pretty exciting one with Houston looking to snap their long winless streak and for at least three goals to touch the back of the net, which is why the Over is the pick.