Portland Timbers v Actual Salt Lake: Neville urges hosts to take classes from current defeats
The Portland Timbers have misplaced their final two highway video games, and head coach Phil Neville needs them to show that round at residence in opposition to Actual Salt Lake in MLS.
Portland are unbeaten of their final 10 matches at Windfall Park, together with a 2-1 win over the New England Revolution of their final such recreation, however have struggled away from residence.
They’ve suffered three consecutive highway defeats, which leaves them fifth within the Western Convention on 33 factors, just under Seattle Sounders.
Neville is assured in his crew’s mentality on residence soil, however acknowledged that their struggles away from residence might hurt the crew later within the season.
“You’re not going to achieve success in the event you don’t have a mentality away from residence,” he mentioned. “The final two away performances, for me, are a significant concern for this group.
“I’ve advised them they should study that mentality, and it’s not going to be fairly. You’ve acquired to play for the crew, and in the event you don’t try this, you shouldn’t be taking part in.
“We’re all pissed off, and we’re all difficult ourselves to be higher, myself included. At Windfall Park, I’ve no doubts [about the team’s mentality], however at this second in time, we’ve acquired lots to study.”
Actual Salt Lake, in the meantime, are eleventh within the West, however are inside touching distance of the playoffs after a four-game unbeaten streak (W3 D1).
Their solely highway recreation throughout that run resulted in a 1-1 draw with Sporting Kansas Metropolis, however head coach Pablo Mastroeni is upbeat after their current outcomes.
“As we head in the direction of the tip of the season, our performances ought to construct confidence when the sport isn’t going your approach,” he advised reporters.
“As a substitute of absolving your self of defensive obligations, you’ve acquired to have everybody on the crew working their tails off to maintain the three factors. That’s a giant step for us.
“We’ve nonetheless acquired a number of stuff we have to proceed to enhance on, however I’m actually happy with the mentality of the group, particularly in opposition to Houston [Dynamo].”
Time to cut down the Timber’s
— Actual Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) July 15, 2025
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Portland Timbers – Felipe Mora
Felipe Mora has scored in all 5 of his regular-season residence matches in opposition to Actual Salt Lake.
The one participant to attain in every of his first six residence matches in opposition to a single opponent was Roy Lassiter in opposition to New England from 1996 to 1999.
Actual Salt Lake – Justen Glad
Actual Salt Lake held simply 42% possession of their win over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, their lowest share of possession all season.
Justen Glad was collected when he had the ball, although. He had probably the most touches (77), tried probably the most passes (67) and accomplished probably the most (57) out of all RSL gamers.
MATCH PREDICTION: PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN
The Portland Timbers have received six of their final eight regular-season residence matches in opposition to Actual Salt Lake (D2), final dropping at residence to RSL in 2017. Portland have scored not less than three objectives in 5 of these eight matches.
And they’re unbeaten in 10 straight residence matches (W6 D4) after a season-opening defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps at Windfall Park. That is the Timbers’ sixth unbeaten run of 10 or extra matches at residence in all competitions since debuting in MLS in 2011.
In the meantime, Actual Salt Lake have received solely two of 13 away matches in all competitions (D5 L6), relationship again to final season’s playoffs. RSL have allowed not less than one purpose in all 10 of their away matches within the 2025 common season.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Portland Timbers – 48.4%
Draw – 25.8%
Actual Salt Lake – 25.8%
