Timbers-Sporting Kansas City Preview
Portland and Sporting Kansas City are still seeking their first victory, though the Timbers may be more encouraged by their performance in their first two matches.
Portland will try to even the all-time series Saturday night when it visits Kansas City.
The Timbers (0-0-2) drew 2-all with defending league champion Los Angeles at home on Sunday after a scoreless tie with Real Salt Lake a week earlier. RSL finished third in the Western Conference last season.
"We're not playing weak opponents, we've played two of the best teams in the league," coach Caleb Porter said. "We don't look overmatched, we don't look intimidated."
Portland couldn't have been pleased with surrendering the equalizer to Los Angeles in stoppage time, however, and is trying to avoid another slow start. It opened 0-3-5 last season but finished one point out of the West's final playoff spot after going 12-6-8 the rest of the way. The Timbers also started 0-1-3 in 2013.
Sporting KC is 0-1-1 for a second straight year, though it went on to win five of its next seven matches in 2014.
Fanendo Adi, who scored nine goals as a rookie last year, scored both of Portland's goals against Los Angeles and may be leaned on with the Timbers nursing key injuries. Captain Will Johnson, who scored six goals in 2014, is still recovering from a broken leg suffered last season, while Diego Valeri is expected to be out another month after tearing his ACL last year. Valeri led the team with 11 goals and 14 assists.
Kansas City's defense has looked vulnerable, however, giving up four goals - as many as it allowed in the first six matches in 2014. Sporting surrendered 41 goals for the season, finishing fifth in MLS.
They fell 3-1 at FC Dallas last Saturday after a 1-all draw with New York in the opener.
Coach Peter Vermes took issue with Dallas' second goal by Blas Perez, as it appeared he and his teammates may have been offside. Dallas added another goal in the 73rd minute.
"I'm just unhappy about the three goals," Vermes told the league's official website. "I felt the second goal changed things a little bit, but there were times where we lost possession in some very easy situations or put ourselves in dangerous positions. Other than that, I thought we were very good."
Sporting is 3-2-0 in the all-time series and won last season's lone MLS meeting 1-0 in Portland on June 27. The Timbers won their last league game at Kansas City, 3-2 on April 27, 2013.
Portland was 7-3-3 in its final 13 road matches last year, while Sporting is 5-0-3 in its last eight March home matches, not losing since 2009.
"We're confident, especially knowing last year how good we were on the road," midfielder Jack Jewsbury said. "But it will be a good test for us."
These teams will meet two more times with Kansas City joining the Western Conference.