Following their most impressive win of the season, the Portland Timbers look to keep rolling when they host FC Dallas on Wednesday.
Portland (5-8-2, 17 points) started the second half of the MLS season with a 5-1 away win over the Seattle Sounders last Thursday. The rout of an arch-rival was especially welcome in the aftermath of a tumultuous stretch for the Timbers.
Former head coach Phil Neville departed the team on May 25, and Jack Cassidy was named interim head coach throughout during the league’s World Cup hiatus. Thursday marked Cassidy’s first match in charge of the team.
“Winning changes the week, you know?” Cassidy said. “When you get a result like that, particularly in the fashion that we did, against who we got the result again, the vibes have been great.”
Spanish coach Marti Cifuentes was announced as the Timbers’ new head coach on Tuesday. Until Cifuentes’ visa process is complete, Cassidy said he’ll “carry on as we are” in managing the club.
The Timbers’ five-goal outburst came without midfielder Kristoffer Velde, who is now back from paternity leave. Juan Mosquera will miss his second straight match due to a foot injury.
FC Dallas (7-4-4, 25 points) return from the World Cup break in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Toros’ 30 goals are tied for sixth most in MLS, and Petar Musa’s 12 goals tie the striker for second in the Golden Boot race.
Anderson Julio and Bernard Kamungo each played in Dallas’ friendly matches during the break, and their impending returns from leg injuries should provide even more scoring punch. Julio has missed the Toros’ last 13 regular-season matches, and Kamungo the last nine matches.
“For someone like me who has been out for a few months, I think (the hiatus is) really good,” Kamungo told the Dallas Morning News on Sunday. “I get to share the field with my teammates before we play a real game. By the time the games start, everybody’s going to be ready.”
Midfielders Ramiro (foot) and Louicius Deedson (groin) are unlikely to play Wednesday.
The trip to Portland is the third of nine straight regular-season road matches for FC Dallas. Due to renovations at Toyota Stadium, the Toros won’t play at their home stadium until Sept. 5.
The Timbers are 8-1-6 in 15 all-time regular-season home matches against Dallas.
–Field Level Media
