The Portland Timbers host the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday in a MLS Western Conference fixture. Portland is eighth in the conference table at 6-9-6 on 27 points with a goal difference of +3. The Portland Timbers were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at home last Sunday with Vancouver. Portland gave up a goal to Vancouver in the 32nd minute, but Portland scored an equalizer by Felipe Mora in the 82nd minute following a Vancouver penalty.
Portland is unbeaten in each of its last six matches with three wins and three draws. Prior to this six-match unbeaten run, Portland never went three straight matches without losing at least once this season. Jaroslaw Niezgoda is the leading goal scorer for Portland with seven while Bill Tuiloma has scored five. Sebastian Blanco is the leader in assists with six.
San Jose is 13th in the conference table at 5-7-8 on 22 points with a goal difference of -8. San Jose played to a 1-1 draw at home against Celta Vigo in a club friendly on Wednesday. In San Jose's most recent MLS fixture, the Earthquakes were defeated by Houston Dynamo 2-1 last Sunday. Jackson Yueill scored in the 53rd minute for San Jose in the loss to Houston.
The last time San Jose was on the road, the Earthquakes defeated LA Galaxy' 3-2, which snapped a winless run of nine consecutive matches on the road with three draws and six losses. Jeremy Ebobisse is the leading goal scorer for San Jose with 11, while Cristian Espinoza has scored five. Jamiro Monteiro is the leader in assists with six, while Jan Gregus and Espinoza each have five.
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