Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders Prediction & Betting Tips - Major League Soccer

Prediction published on 14/04/2023, 15:45  by Devesh Jaganath in Major League Soccer Predictions

Two sides with contrasting starts to the MLS season will face off this week when the Portland Timbers welcome the Seattle Sounders to Providence Park for a league showdown on Sunday. The hosts have struggled to find their best form so far this season and currently sit 12th in the 14-team Western Conference, with five points after their first seven matches. Portland has managed just one win to date, along with two draws, and four losses, the most recent of which came last weekend against the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0. In their three matches at Providence Park this season, Portland have managed one win, one draw, and one loss in their first three matches, though that win came in their very first match of the season, and since then, they are riding a six-match winless run. Despite the difference in the league standings this year, Portland have the better record in head-to-head clashes against this opponent and won the previous encounter 2-1 at this venue last season. The hosts will be hoping that they can have a repeat of that performance in this one, which may be the result they need to give their season a kickstart. 

Meanwhile, the Seattle Sounders look like a different side from the one that finished last season's campaign in a lowly eleventh place. The visitors currently lead the Western Conference with 16 points after seven matches, one point above St Louis in second and two above LAFC; however, they have played a game more than the side from LA. The Sounders have a record of five wins, one draw, and one loss to date and come into this match unbeaten in their last four matches, including 1 draw and three consecutive wins. Their solitary loss this season came in their first away match of the campaign, where they lost to the Eastern Conference leaders Cincinnati, but since then, they've looked very good, winning the following two matches on the road convincingly. The Sounders have been unable to overcome this opponent in their last three attempts, losing on each occasion, outscored 7-1 in that time. However, considering the start to the season both sides have had, the visitors will see this as the perfect opportunity to bring an end to that baron spell and get one over this opposition at the fourth time of asking.