Preview & Match Thread: Portland Timbers vs. Austin FC

Can Portland put opening day behind them?

After a season opener to forget, the Portland Timbers go again at home. They square(dance) off against Austin FC under the lights on Saturday at Providence Park at 7:30 p.m. PT (streaming on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

Here’s what to watch for, and your spot to chat through it all, when Portland seeks to get the season truly kicked off against the green boys from Texas.

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Photo Credit: Kelsey Baker

Preview

David da Costa: the prince who was promised?

All accounts suggest that Portland’s new DP David da Costa will earn his first start this evening, and much will be put on him to help start up Portland’s offense. The “Cheeky Little Chappie”, as Phil Neville calls him, showed a flash or two of his talent in his half of action last week. The hope is that those flashes will combine into a bolt of electricity to zap Portland’s goal-scoring to life.

His inclusion will also likely come with a formation change. His role as a true number ten makes a return to the 4-2-3-1 more likely, although Neville could still roll out a back-three in more of a 3-4-1-2 look — more aggressive than last week with da Costa pulling the strings.

With the few reinforcements the Timbers have available off the bench this week — potential offensive subs are just T2 short-term call-up Kyle Linhares and Ariel Lassiter — the new boy better be ready to make his mark.

Time for the Pantemis Party

This week’s unexpected inclusion on Portland’s unavailability report was Maxime Crepeau — the goalkeeper is listed as out with a “lower body” injury. Enter: James Pantemis. The man who started 43% of Portland’s games last year will be called upon once again to step in and mind the Timbers’ net.

I am not here to re-start the Crepeau vs. Pantemis debate (although I know it will rage on regardless), but for my money Panetemis might be the best backup in MLS. Despite the forced changes due to injury that the backline is enduring, they truly don’t have any excuse if they don’t put up a better defensive performance this week.

Nuevo Verde

This isn’t the same Austin FC side that came to Providence Park and won last year (which is kind of worrying considering they, y’know, won). They’ve made significant investments in their central midfield and forward line, bringing in once-rumored Timbers target Besard Sabovic and shelling out a club-record transfer fee for previous MLS All-Star Brandon Vazquez. While they didn’t show it a ton last weekend, it’s clear that they upped the level of their offense this offseason.

Portland better be sure that they keep all eleven men on the field this time around, because they are going to need everyone defensively. Austin has never backed down from an away game, and I don’t anticipate that changing under their new head coach Nico Estevez. Keeping track of Vazquez is the top priority — so the Timbers better have learned from their inability to track Brian White last week.

Match Thread

Come chat through matchday two in the comments!