Match Preview: Portland Timbers 1-3 Minnesota United Prediction and Betting Tips | MLS

Portland Timbers – Minnesota United betting tips for today, March 2, 2020

Match Preview

• Portland Timbers will be keen to replicate their home start to last year, which saw them put three or more goals past their opposition in 50% of their first eight games at home. They went on to win five of them, four times with a lead at the HT recess, and three with a clean sheet.
• A fourth consecutive postseason appearance is on the menu if Portland can improve their starts. They opened the scoring in just nine of 17 regular season fixtures at home in 2019, whilst lacking the mettle to fight back when conceding the first goal (W1, D1, L5) at home.
• Fortunately for the Timbers, they commence their campaign against a Minnesota United FC side that managed to open the scoring just twice on the road in the 2019 regular season. Furthermore, Minnesota conceded a notable 18 first-half goals on the road last regular season (1.06 per-match).
• In turn, Minnesota experienced a near-high of eight away matches with a half-time deficit. They play clean if nothing else, and were awarded more than one yellow card in just one of their last seven MLS away matches in 2019, including a clean book at Portland.
• Players to watch: Jeremy Ebobisse’s last seven goals for Portland in 2019 all came on Oregon soil, recording their first or last goal on six occasions at home.
• Striker Luis Amarilla (MIN) has joined on loan from Vélez Sarsfield after an impressive 16 goals from 22 league appearances in Ecuador’s top flight in 2019.
• Stat attack: Portland received at least as many yellow cards as opposing sides in six of their last seven MLS home matches.
• Excluding the 0-0 draw in 2019, all six H2H MLS/Open Cup meetings have seen the team scoring first go on to win the game.
• Minnesota lamented an away goal difference of -8 after the 75th minute in the 2019 regular season.