Major League Soccer

Jun 9, 2025 at 12am UK

Providence Park

Portland Timbers vs St Louis City

Match preview

Providence Park has usually served the Timbers well, and that has certainly been the case throughout this domestic campaign.

Phil Neville’s team have been unbeaten in their last seven home league games since losing the opening match of the regular season in Portland to the Vancouver Whitecaps (4–1).

On Sunday, they have an opportunity to secure back-to-back home victories in this competition for the first time since September 2024.

Portland are unbeaten in their last nine MLS matches in which they have scored multiple goals, and they have not lost a domestic home match in these circumstances since August 2023 (when they lost 3-2 to the Vancouver Whitecaps).

Throughout his managerial tenure, Neville has employed an aggressive approach, often throwing caution to the wind. This has produced mixed results: the Timbers have scored three or more goals five times in league play, but have also conceded that many on three occasions.

So far this year, they have only suffered one league defeat at the hands of a side with a lower current points total, losing 4-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes in May.

The David Critchley era as interim manager of St. Louis got off to a positive start as the team won their third MLS match of the year last time out.

This ended an 11-match winless run in this competition, and they scored as many goals against the Quakes as they had in their previous three MLS matches combined.

Another triumph on Sunday would equal their longest winning streak at home during Olof Mellberg’s brief tenure earlier this season.

Meanwhile, victory this weekend would also equal their away win tally in this competition from 2024, having beaten the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-0 in March.

St. Louis have collected at least a point in their previous 10 matches in this competition in which they have scored multiple times, dating back to last season.

Sunday will mark their third visit to Providence Park, and they have yet to lose in Portland, having claimed a wild 4-4 draw in this exact fixture last season and won their first trip to the Pacific Northwest in 2023 (2-1).

Recent Performance

Portland Timbers Major League Soccer form: LWDDLW

Portland Timbers form (all competitions): WDDLLW

St Louis City Major League Soccer form:LLDLLW

St Louis City form (all competitions):LDLLLW

Team News

Zac McGraw was ruled out of the Portland lineup against the Rapids due to a back problem, while James Pantemis was sidelined by a leg injury.

Finn Surman is on international duty with New Zealand, while Ariel Lassiter and Maxime Crepeau have been called up to the Costa Rican and Canadian squads respectively.

Antony and Kevin Kelsy scored in the final 45 minutes of their previous match after falling behind 1–0 ten minutes before half-time.

Joakim Nilsson, Jannes Horn and Rasmus Alm missed the previous St. Louis fixture due to knee, quad and hip injuries respectively.

Midfielder Callum Wallem will miss the next game after receiving two cautions in the previous match, both of which occurred in second-half stoppage time.

Klauss and Eduard Lowen scored in the first and second half of stoppage time respectively against the Quakes to secure a narrow victory.

Possible starting lineup

Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:

Muse; Mosquera, Fory, K. Miller, Bravo; Chara, Ayala; Moreno, Da Costa, Antony; Mora

St Louis City possible starting lineup:

Burki; Totland, Kessler, Baumgartl, Reid; Ostrak, Lowen; Teuchert, Hartel, Pompeu; Klauss