Los Angeles-Portland preview

Two Western Conference contenders in good form collide Saturday afternoon, when the Portland Timbers host the Los Angeles Galaxy for a nationally televised showdown at always-raucous Providence Park.

The Timbers (7-6-8) are riding a nine-game MLS unbeaten streak and have won four of five at home, but will be without playmaker Darren Mattocks on Saturday due to a hamstring injury. Even without Mattocks, Portland boasts two of MLS' most prolific goal-scorers in Fanendo Adi and Diego Valeri.

Los Angeles (8-3-8) has won its last three MLS games and five matches overall, including a 4-2 win over the Seattle Sounders in U.S. Open Cup play on Wednesday.

The Galaxy's Raul Mendiola scored an early goal in Los Angeles' 1-0 win over Portland in U.S. Open Cup play on June 30, the two teams most recent meeting.

The Galaxy's Ashley Cole and Steven Gerrard are dealing with injuries and considered game-time decisions. Cole has missed the last three games with a hamstring issue, and Gerrard is trying to comeback from an injury suffered in a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo last week. Gerrard is fourth in the league in assists with seven.

With Mattocks out, the Timbers will lean even more heavily on Valeri, an MVP candidate who scored two goals in Portland's win over Seattle last week. Valeri is fourth in the MLS in goals with nine.

"He has been outstanding," Timbers coach Caleb Porter said of Valeri via Oregonlive.com. "I think it's in line as well with our team getting healthy. The best players are even better when they have other good players around them."

Adi leads the Timbers with 10 goals and has had past success against the Galaxy with five goals in the last four games against Los Angeles.

Defensively, the Timbers have settled on keeper Jake Gleeson, who has 70 saves on the season, second most in MLS. Adam Larsen Kwarasey began the season as Portland's No. 1 keeper but was plagued by injuries and transferred back to Norway earlier in the week.

Galaxy keeper Brian Rowe has been solid in the net, saving 68 shots, fourth most in MLS.