Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes Prediction, Preview and Odds - 8/4/21
Check out the best odds and predictions for this MLS Western Conference clash between the Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, August 4, 2021.
Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes
The Portland Timbers face off against the San Jose Earthquakes, as the 2021 MLS season goes on Wednesday, August 4. These two Western Conference rivals have already met once this term and Portland the Quakes as a +225 road underdog at Earthquakes Stadium, 2-0. This time, the Timbers are -115 home favorites, searching for their fourth consecutive victory over San Jose.
Portland hopes to stop a two-game slide
The Portland Timbers are coming off a heavy 4-1 defeat at the Los Angeles Galaxy this past Friday. It was their second straight loss on the spin and third in the last five games overall, but the Timbers have won four of their previous five outings at home, including the last two against LAFC 2-1 and FC Dallas 1-0.
Portland is now laying at the eighth spot of the Eastern Conference standings with 19 points (W6, D1, L8) and a 19:26 goal difference. The Timbers are two points behind the seventh-placed Real Salt Lake, who hold the bottom playoff spot, and four points behind LAFC and Minnesota who are tied for sixth place in the West.
Strikers Felipe Mora and Jeremy Ebobisse are topping the Timbers’ scoring chart with four goals apiece, while winger Dairon Asprilla has bagged three goals in 15 MLS appearances this season. The 28-year-old right-back Josecarlos van Rankin is the team’s best assist-maker with three dishes, and ten more guys have recorded at least an assist thus far.
San Jose finally put an end to its 11-game winless streak
The San Jose Earthquakes are coming off a surprising 1-0 road victory at the Seattle Sounders this past Saturday. The Quakes upset the odds as massive +400 underdogs thanks to Cristian Espinoza’s goal in the dying moments of the first half. They held the ball in possession for just 35 percent of the time, but the Sounders couldn’t find a way to get something from this clash.
The Quakes recorded their first win since May 8 when they beat Real Salt Lake 2-1 on the road. In 11 outings before Sunday’s contest in Seattle, San Jose has recorded five draws and six losses, so the Quakes are currently sitting at the 11th spot of the Western Conference table with 17 points (W4, D5, L7) and an 18:25 goal difference.
The 17-year-old striker Cade Cowell commands the way for the Quakes this season, netting four goals in 15 appearances, but he’s scoreless in three straight starts. Cowell also has four dishes on his tally, as well as Cristian Espinoza, who’s scored a couple of goals in 16 games.
The Pick:Portland Timbers to Win
This game could easily go three-way, considering the teams’ current form. The Quakes are undefeated in five straight showings, but they’ve earned just one win in the process. On the other side, none of the Timbers’ last six contests ended in a draw, and Portland has recorded three wins and three losses in that stretch.
I’m going with the Timbers because of their recent domination over the Quakes. Portland is unbeaten in five straight meetings with San Jose, registering four wins in the process. Also, the Timbers have defeated the Quakes in their previous two encounters in Oregon.
Total: Over 2.5 goals
San Jose’s last four games saw two or fewer goals on the scoreboard, and I’m looking for a different scenario in this one. Portland’s defense is one of the worst in the Western Conference, and 11 of the Timbers’ 15 games overall produced three or more goals in total.
Hereof, I’m backing the Over 2.5 Goals at -157 odds, expecting both teams to find the back of the net. Six of Portland’s previous eight tilts saw goals on both sides of the field, as well as five of San Jose’s last six games overall. Back in May, these two foes combined for a whopping 39 shots, though the game ended in Portland’s 2-0 victory.
