The Portland Timbers host Atlanta United on Sunday in a MLS inter-conference fixture. Portland is seventh in the Western Conference table at 9-12-8 on 39 points with a goal difference of +1. Portland picked up a big three points on the road Wednesday when they defeated Austin 2-1. Bill Tuiloma opened the scoring for Portland with a goal in the 16th minute and Zac McGraw scored the eventual winner in the 73rd minute.
Portland held possession only 29.1% of the time in its victory on Wednesday over Austin. Jaroslaw Niezgoda is the leading goal scorer for Portland with nine while Sebastian Blanco has scored seven and Dairon Asprilla and Bill Tuiloma have scored six apiece. Blanco is the leader in assists with seven, while Eryk Williamson is second with six.
Atlanta United is 11th in the Eastern Conference table at 8-9-11 on 33 points with a goal difference of -6. Atlanta was defeated on the road by the Philadelphia Union 4-1 on Wednesday. Andrew Gutman scored Atlanta's only goal in the 24th minute but the back line and goalkeeper could not prevent Philadelphia from scoring three unanswered goals after Gutman's goal had tied the score .
Atlanta has failed to win consecutive matches in the MLS since September of last year after defeating DC United last Sunday and losing to Philadelphia on Wednesday. Ronaldo Cisneros and Josef Martinez are the leaders in goals scored with seven, while three others have scored four goals each. Thiago Almada is the leader in assists with seven, while Luiz Araujo has five.
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Portland Timbers +105