Two clubs in opposite conferences of MLS will do battle today in a league match between the the Portland Timbers and the Chicago Fire. The first-division clash scheduled for 3 p.m. ET will be held at Providence Park in Portland and can be live streamed here.
Both clubs enter Week 2 in search of the first three points to the season. The Fire failed to hold on to a 2-2 draw and ultimately fell 3-2 to Chivas USA on the road. The Timbers were fortunate enough to salvage a point at home against the Philadelphia Union. A last-second goal from Gaston Fernandez saved what would’ve been a spoiling start to 2014.
Portland, however, is in search of more than three points in Week 2.
According to Dan Itel on MLS’s official website, building the right chemistry remains a priority on Sunday. “The thing I keep reminding myself, and I think it’s important that people remember, is we still have new guys up there,” head coach Caleb Porter said. “Gaston, Maxi is still a new player here, Diego’s played a few games but he was injured, so we’ve got still some new pieces, some new moving parts. And we’re getting that chemistry right still,” he added.
“It’s going to take time.”
Will the Timbers show signs of improvement in Week 2, or will the Fire play spoiler en route to their first victory of the season?
Tell us @SportsWN
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: Portland Timbers midfielder and captain Will Johnson signed a long-term deal with the club during the week. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. A cog in the central part of the formation, Johnson completed 83 percent of his passes in Week 1, with 70.8 moving in a forward direction.
Portland Timbers’ Projected Lineup (4-3-3): Ricketts; Harrington, Kah, Paparatto, Jewsbury; Johnson, Valeri, Chara; Fernández, Urruti, Nagbe
Chicago Fire’s Projected Lineup (4-1-4-1): Johnson; Segares, Soumaré, Hurtado, Palmer; Larentowicz; Duka, Rolfe, Alex, Nyarko; Magee
MLS Standings Entering Week 2
| # | Club | PTS | GP | PPG | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | HG | HGD | RG | RGD |
| 1 | Houston Dynamo | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Columbus Crew | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Chivas USA | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | FC Dallas | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Real Salt Lake | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Seattle Sounders FC | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | Portland Timbers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Colorado Rapids | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | San Jose Earthquakes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Toronto FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Chicago Fire | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 |
| 14 | Montreal Impact | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 |
| 15 | LA Galaxy | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Sporting Kansas City | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 17 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 |
| 18 | D.C. United | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 | -3 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | New England Revolution | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 |
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