Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Portland Timbers Prediction, Preview and Odds - 8/10/21
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Portland Timbers
The 2021 MLS season goes on Friday, September 10, with a couple of games on the schedule including the Western Conference showdown from BC Place in Vancouver, Canada. The Whitecaps meet the Timbers for the second time this season, we’ve prepared the best Vancouver vs. Portland betting pick and tips along with the latest betting trends and odds update.
The Whitecaps search for their fifth straight win
The Vancouver Whitecaps are rolling on a four-game winning streak following a 2-1 home victory over Austin FC this past weekend. It was their third straight outing at home, and the Blue-and-White are now undefeated in ten straight MLS contests at any location.
Vancouver is sitting at the eighth spot of the Western Conference standings with 29 points (W7, D8, L7) and a 29:32 goal difference. The Whitecaps are just one point behind the bottom playoff spot, trying to sneak into the playoffs after a rough start of the season.
Winger Cristian Dajome leads the way for Vancouver in 2021, tallying eight goals and four assists in 21 MLS appearances. Ryan Gauld continues to impress since joining the team from the Portuguese side SC Farense in August, and the 25-year-old midfielder has already scored a couple of goals and assists in six games. The Whitecaps have some selection problems ahead of Friday’s clash, as left-back Cristian Gutierrez and midfielder Caio Alexandre are both sidelined with injuries.
The Timbers aim for their third W in a row
The Portland Timber will close down their five-game road trip Friday in Vancouver. After a 1-1 draw at Kansas City and a 3-1 defeat at Austin FC, the Timber have emerged victorious in each of their last two outings, outlasting Seattle 2-0 and Houston 2-0.
Portland is now laying at the sixth spot of the Western Conference table with 30 points (W9, D3, L10) and a 31:39 goal difference. The Timbers are just one point behind fifth-placed Minnesota and one point ahead of the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Striker Felipe Mora is the Timbers’ top goalscorer in 2021. He’s netted nine times in 18 MLS appearances while also adding three assists to his tally. Wingers Marvin Loria and Dairon Asprilla have combined for seven goals and four dishes, while right-back Josecarlos van Rankin has recorded three assists in 21 outings this term.
Pick: Draw
Back in April, the Whitecaps narrowly defeated the Timbers as massive +350 home dogs, 1-0. It was their first win over Portland since 2019, while the Timbers put an end to a four-game winning streak over the Whitecaps.
Friday’s clash could easily go three-way. Both teams have been playing well lately, and the stake is huge, considering their playoff battle. Therefore, I will go with a draw, but betting on the totals seems like a better way to go in this matchup.
Total:Both Teams to Score YES
The last three encounters between the Whitecaps and Timbers were finished with an identical 1-0 outcome, and that has to change Friday. I’m expecting both teams to find the net, trying to earn huge three points in the playoff race.
The Timbers kept their net intact in the last two showings, but their defense is still the worst in the Western Conference. Eight of their previous ten games overall saw both teams scoring, as well as eight of the Whitecaps’ last nine contests at any location. Also, Vancouver’s last five games produced goals on both sides and three or more in total.