Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City – MLS, June 19, 2021

It is becoming increasingly difficult to predict the outcome of a Portland game. The Timbers appeared to have turned a corner when they picked up back-to-back wins last month, but they were crushed 3-0 by Philadelphia before the recent break.

Sporting Kansas City visits Providence Park on Saturday, June 19, hoping to take advantage of the Timbers’ inconsistent form. The Wizards have won four of their last five matches and sit second in the Western Conference – eight points clear of seventh-place Portland.

If you’re looking for an expert prediction for Portland Timbers vs. Sporting KC, you’ve come to the right place. Below, I cover the odds, assess both sides’ chances, and share my betting pick for the match.

Regardless of Portland’s questionable form, the top-rated online sportsbooks view the home side as the marginal favorite to win on Saturday. But as you can see, the odds gap is narrow.

Peter Vermes’ men have only lost two of their eight games this year, securing five wins and one draw along the way. With that in mind, the price for the away win offers good value here, as does the draw bet.

Given that Giovanni Savarese’s men lost three of their opening four matches this season, they have made a solid recovery in recent weeks. With two wins coming in their previous three games, the Timbers have turned things around.

Clean-sheet victories over San Jose (2-0) and LA Galaxy (3-0) saw the Timbers climb the standings last month. But just before the lay-off, they suffered a damaging 3-0 loss at the hands of the Union.

The Oregon outfit were completely outplayed by the defending Supporters’ Shield champions. If Savarese’s men produce a similar kind of performance on Saturday, they will surely be punished by in-form Sporting KC.

Eight different players have scored an MLS goal for Portland in 2021, although Felipe Mora is the only guy with two league goals to his name this year. Needless to say, Mora’s attacking teammates need to up their game.

The Wizards will be brimming with confidence after netting 16 goals across their opening nine matches this season. Granted, they have played two games more than Portland. But the Timbers have only managed to hit the target on nine occasions.

It took a little while for Vermes’ men to find their feet this term. However, they are now in the groove and look set to challenge at the top end of the Western Conference.

Not only did the Wizards secure three straight wins before the break, but they also scored exactly three goals in every game during that sequence.

Mexican striker Alan Pulido has returned from international duty and will look to add to his tally of five goals and one assist this weekend. With four goals and three assists to his name, Daniel Salloi has also remained a constant threat for SKC.

It is worth noting that only two sides in the conference have conceded more goals than Vermes’ men this season. That said, Portland has an identical defensive record.

In my eyes, the Wizards have the upper hand here, as they managed to squeeze in a game against Austin last weekend. However, having not played a competitive match for almost three weeks, Portland will be rusty.

On top of that, SKC has been far more reliable than Portland in 2021. I mean, the Timbers have lost four of their seven MLS games this year, while Vermes’ men have only suffered two defeats in nine outings.