Timbers at Whitecaps
Kickoff: 2 p.m. Saturday at B.C. Place
TV/radio: KPTV 12 / AM 750
Records: Portland (3-3-3) is seventh in the Western Conference with 12 points from nine games. Vancouver (3-5-2) is eighth in the Western Conference with 11 points from 10 games.
Timbers notes: The Timbers go to Vancouver seeking their first road win of the season at a place they have found success. Portland has three regular-season wins at Vancouver since the two teams joined MLS in 2011, plus the playoff win there in November. Portland leads the MLS series with Vancouver, with seven wins, seven draws and two losses against the Whitecaps — including last season’s two-leg playoff. This is the first of six Cascadia Cup matches for the Timbers, and the first of two visits to Vancouver this season. … The Timbers won the Cascadia Cup in 2012, but have not won the regional competition under Caleb Porter. … Forward Darren Mattocks, who started last weekend’s win over Toronto, played his first four MLS seasons with Vancouver and scored 19 goals over 93 regular-season appearances before he was traded to Portland in March. … For only the second time in the first 10 matches, Coach Caleb Porter should have the option of starting the same 11 players for a second game in a row.
Whitecaps notes: Caps winger Kekuta Manneh is suspended for Saturday’s match. The MLS disciplinary committee handed down a one-game suspension for Manneh, ruling that he endangered the safety of New York City FC’s Federico Bravo. An ankle injury to Manneh was a key moment in Portland’s win at Vancouver in November’s Western Conference semifinal. After the speedy winger left that match in the 25th minute, Vancouver struggled to create any offense. Timbers coach Caleb Porter said the injury to Manneh is significant because of how Manneh’s speed impacts the counter-attack. The Caps might also be without striker Octavio Rivero because of an undisclosed injury. Vancouver has been shut out three times, and has shut out three opponents. By contrast, Portland has scored in all nine of its matches but has not yet recorded a shutout in 2016.
