The Portland Timbers take to the pitch tonight, just three days after their impotent loss to the Seattle Sounders, looking like a team with their backs up against the wall. Their opponents, last year’s treble winners, Toronto FC, are in similar straits. Both teams come into this match in need of three points as they jockey for playoff position.
Entering into the final stretch of the season, the Timbers have fallen below the red line with only ten matches left to play and a field of strong sides above them in the Western Conference standings.