The Seattle Sounders are hosting the Portland Timbers on Thursday (7:30 p.m. PT; FS1, 1090 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM) in their fourth and final meeting of the 2020 MLS regular season. Here are three matchups to watch:
Stefan Frei vs. Steve Clark
While not technically a matchup of two players going head-to-head, the two goalkeepers will have a lot to say in who comes out on top at CenturyLink Field. Frei anchors the Sounders, who are tied for the second-best defensive record in MLS, while Clark has historically been great against the Timbers’ Cascadia rivals. Whomever can make that one big save on Thursday just might steal all three points for his club.
João Paulo vs. Diego Valeri
With Gustav Svensson expected to miss his final match after quarantining following his return from the Swedish national team, João Paulo is going to need to be at his very best in possession, but perhaps more importantly, in getting stuck in defensively against Valeri. The Timbers’ talisman is 34 and showing no signs of slowing down, as he’s put up seven goals and six assists in 17 matches this season. The offensive onus has fallen on Valeri’s shoulders even more with the season-ending injury to Sebastián Blanco, which makes João Paulo’s efforts to neutralize Valeri all the more important.
Cristian Roldan vs. Jorge Villafaña
Despite playing out of his natural position, Roldan has had great success when he’s played on the right wing in Head Coach Brian Schmetzer’s 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s allowed Roldan to flash the offensive skill set he perhaps doesn’t get to use as often in his traditional box-to-box central midfield role. The Sounders will turn to him to balance out Jordan Morris on the left flank and keep Portland honest defensively, and Roldan should have a good 1-v-1 battle with Timbers left back Villafaña.
