Timbers at Real Salt Lake
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Rio Tinto Stadium.
TV / radio: ROOT/ AM 750, FM 102.9.
Timbers notes: At 12-11-8 (44 points), Portland is tied on points with of San Jose for the sixth and last playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Timbers have three games left including this one; San Jose has two games left. … The Timbers will be without midfielder Will Johnson, who recently had screws removed from the leg that was broken a year ago. Johnson could return to training on Friday. Additionally, the status of midfielder Jack Jewsbury is uncertain after he suffered a foot injury last week in training. That could mean George Fochive starts alongside Diego Chara in the defensive midfield for Portland. Three Timbers – Diego Valeri, Diego Chara and Alvas Powell – are one yellow card away from a one-match suspension. In a change of form, the Timbers have scored six goals in their last four road matches while going goalless in three consecutive home games. Since former RSL defender Nat Borchers scored in the final seconds of a 1-0 win at RSL on Aug. 15, the Timbers are 1-3-2, falling from solid playoff position into a multiple-team scramble for the final playoff spot. … The Timbers official viewing party is at Blue Room Bar, 8145 S.E. 82nd Ave., in Portland. This is a 21-and-older event.
RSL notes: Real Salt Lake (11-12-8, 41 points) is ninth in the Western Conference but can pull even with Portland and San Jose for the final playoff spot with a win on Wednesday. RSL has won four of its last six to climb back into playoff contention. … A big contributor to that run has been Argentine winger Juan Manuel Martinez, signed in mid-August. In four starts, the speedy 29-year-old has one goal and one assist, but has drawn two penalty kicks for RSL, plus a foul that led to a goal on a free kick in a comeback win last week at Colorado. … RSL has lost only three of its last 43 home matches in all competitions, two of those coming to the Timbers. … Midfielder Kyle Beckerman is back after playing in the United States loss to Mexico on Saturday. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who did not play against Mexico, is also back with RSL … RSL midfielder Luis Gill and defender Boyd Okwuonu were with the U.S. under-23 national team for Tuesday’s Olympics elimination match against Canada that was played at RSL’s stadium. …. Midfielder Javier Morales leads RSL in goals (8), assists (11) shots and shots on target. … RSL left back Demar Phillips is suspended for yellow card accumulation.
— Paul Danzer, @col_timbers
