Enemy Scouting Report - Portland Timbers
(image via Portland Timbers)
The Houston Dynamo secured a crucial result in one of the toughest places to play in MLS, battling to a 0-0 draw against the Seattle Sounders last weekend at Lumen Field. However, head coach Ben Olsen continues to face a growing injury crisis, with an already thin defensive unit now further depleted after goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer and center back Ethan Bartlow were forced off against Seattle.
Next up, the Dynamo head back to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Portland Timbers at Providence Park—another notoriously hostile venue with a challenging artificial turf surface. Given the circumstances, Houston would gladly take another hard-fought draw, but Portland is finding its rhythm after a confidence-boosting win over Colorado last week.
The Timbers have had to adapt following the departure of star playmaker Evander and the injury to last season’s top scorer, Jonathan Rodríguez, who is working his way back to fitness. In their absence, young players have stepped up—most notably Anthony, who has already netted twice this season and is looking to fill the void left by his compatriot, Evander. Another key figure to watch is Kevin Kelsy, who spent last season in MLS on loan with FC Cincinnati. He’s expected to be a dangerous weapon off the bench, using his fresh legs to exploit a fatigued Houston defense late in the match. Meanwhile, David Ayala is growing into his role in midfield under the mentorship of MLS legend Diego Chará, as the duo looks to dictate the tempo for Portland.
Seattle Sounders Record: 2W-1D-2L
Results in the last 30 days:
March 1 - Portland Timbers 1-0 Austin FC
March 8 - Nashville SC 2-0 Portland Timbers
March 16 - Portland Timbers 1-1 LA Galaxy
March 22 - Colorado Rapids 0-3 Portland Timbers
Last Match Staring XI (from fotmob.com)
2025 Roster
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, James Pantemis, Hunter Sulte
Defenders: Kamal Miller, Darío Zuparic, Zac McGraw, Claudio Bravo, Juan Mosquera, Eric Miller, Miguel Araujo, Finn Surman, Ian Smith, Jimer Fory
Midfielders: Diego Chara, Ariel Lassiter, Cristhian Paredes, David Ayala, Joao Ortiz, David Da Costa
Forwards: Felipe Mora, Jonathan Rodríguez, Santiago Moreno, Antony, Kyle Linhares, Kevin Kelsy
With injuries piling up and another difficult road test ahead, can the Dynamo grind out another valuable result in Portland?
