FC Dallas (0-1-1, 1 point) hosts the Portland Timbers (1-0-1, 3 points) on Saturday, May 1 at 7PM CT at Toyota Stadium. It’s the first of two meetings between the teams this season.
Gameday Social: #DALvPOR
TV: 6:30PM Estrella TV 29 (KMPX-29 in Spanish)
Streaming: 6:30PM on FCDallas.com/Stream (within DFW) and ESPN+ (outside DFW)
Radio: 6:30PM CT on FCDallas.com/Radio (English) and 1270.2AM (Spanish) beginning at 7:00PM.
Lineup Prediction
Jimmy Maurer (shoulder) and Jesus Ferreira (shoulder) are out. Matt Hedges missed training with his ankle injury so I’ll call him questionable. At least, I assumed it was the ankle injury until the FCD Media notes listed as QUESTIONABLE: Matt Hedges (right thigh). Right thigh?
From the training I witnessed, Coach Gonzalez is considering going back to the 4-3-3 – not a surprise with Hedges banged up – and I predict they do. Phelipe will almost certainly be in the net for Maurer.
Some of the testing of positions this week in training included Eddie Munjoma potentially starting at right back, Ryan Hollingshead potentially at left back, and Tanner Tessmann as a 6. Johnny Nelson is, of course, also in the mix at left back as is Ema Twumasi at right back.
Outside of all that, I except few changes. So here’s my prediction.
Bench Prediction
Kyle Zobeck
Nkosi Tafari
Edwin Cerrillo
Kalil ElMedkhar
Johnny Nelson
Matt Hedges
Paxton Pomykal
Dante Sealy
Ricardo Pepi
If Hedges can’t make the bench, Thomas Roberts, Ema Twumasi, and Nicky Hernandez are the options. I assume Hernandez will be with NTX and Twumasi is still coming back from injury, so it will likely be Roberts.
Injury Report
FC Dallas
- OUT: Jesus Ferreira (shoulder)
- OUT: Jimmy Maurer (shoulder)
- QUESTIONABLE: Matt Hedges (right thigh)
Portland Timbers
- OUT: Aljaz Ivacic (athletic pubalgia surgery)
- OUT: Jaroslaw Niezgoda (left ACL surgery)
- OUT: Steve Clark (left thigh strain)
- OUT: Ismaila Jome (left Achilles tendon surgery)
- OUT: Cristhian Paredes (left thigh strain)
- QUESTIONABLE: Sebastian Blanco (right ACL surgery)
- QUESTIONABLE: Jeremy Ebobisse (left thigh strain)
Kit Matchup
As usual, we get to see the new secondary kit at home on at least one occasion when it’s brand new.
Officials
REFEREE: Alan Kelly.
AR1 (bench): Matthew Nelson;
AR2 (opposite): Diego Blas;
4th: JC Griggs;
VAR: Armando Villarreal;
AVAR: Andrew Bigelow
Kelly MLS Career:
129 games;
FC/gm: 24.2;
Y/gm: 3.3;
R: 17;
pens: 49
More Game Info
FC Dallas has collected just one point from its first two matches, its worst start to a season since 2011 (also 1 point).
FCD’s one goal through two matches is also the worst scoring start to a season for FC Dallas since 2011 (also 1 goal).
Dallas’ all-time regular season record against Portland is 8-7-7 with 37 goals scored and 28 conceded.
FCD’s all-time regular season home record against the Timbers is 7-1-4 with 27 goals for and just 12 against.
Last year, FCD and Portland faced off in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs with Dallas winning 8-7 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw at Providence Park.
Portland began its 2021 MLS campaign with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps but followed it up with a 2-1 victory over Houston Dynamo FC on April 24.
The Timbers are also competing in the Concacaf Champions League where they face Club América of Liga MX at the quarterfinal stage. Portland and América played to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday, April 28 and will play the second leg of the tie on May 5.
The Timbers have managed just two clean sheets in their last 39 away matches dating back to August 2018, and one of those was at Providence Park, as the designated road team against Vancouver in September 2020.
The Timbers, who led MLS in xG difference last season – outperforming their expected goals by 12.8 (46 scored, 33.2 expected) – are second to last in xG difference this season at -1.9 (2 goals, 3.9 expected). Only Nashville (-2.4) is worse.
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD:
FC Dallas 8 wins, 37 goals …
Timbers 7 wins, 28 goals …
Ties 7
AT DALLAS:
FC Dallas 7 wins, 27 goals …
Timbers 1 win, 12 goals …
Ties 4
The Timbers have won once (2014) in 12 league visits all-time to Toyota Stadium.
Since 1996, FC Dallas has an overall record of 44-47-30 in the month of May with a 0.487 winning percentage. Luchi Gonzalez has a 0-4-1 record and 0.100 winning percentage during May.
According to Opta, FC Dallas has lost only one of their last 24 home MLS matches (14-1-9) dating back to May 2019. FC Dallas currently has a 10-match unbeaten streak (6-0-4) since Aug. 16, 2020.
Since 2015, FCD is 72-5-17 when scoring first.
Since 2015, FC Dallas has a 0.898 winning percentage and 73-3-12 when scoring at least two goals.
300+ CLUB WINS
LA Galaxy — 352
FC Dallas — 327
HOME WINS
LA Galaxy — 225
FC Dallas — 219
Diego Valeri has now tallied 97 goals and 101 assists in 278 appearances (255 starts) across all competitions for the Timbers.