Venue: Providence Park, Portland, Oregon.
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Broadcast on Apple TV.
Current Weather Forecast (Portland / Providence Park area)
Mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions with mild temperatures. Highs around 76–79°F (24–26°C); evening lows in the mid-50s°F (~13°C). Light winds and low precipitation chance, creating pleasant conditions for evening play.
Current Player Rosters
Portland Timbers (Head Coach: Martí Cifuentes / interim notes vary):
Goalkeepers: James Pantemis (primary), Hunter Sulte, Trey Muse.
Defenders: Finn Surman, Kamal Miller, Jimer Fory, Joel Waterman, Ian Smith, Brandon Bye (status dependent), others.
Midfielders: David da Costa (status dependent), Cole Bassett, Diego Chará, Joao Ortiz, others.
Forwards: Kristoffer Velde, Antony, Ariel Lassiter, Vincent Janssen, Omir Fernandez, others.
Atlanta United FC (Head Coach: Gerardo “Tata” Martino):
Goalkeepers: Lucas Hoyos (primary), Jayden Hibbert.
Defenders: Júnior Alonso, Elías Báez, Enea Mihaj, Tomás Jacob, Paulo Díaz, others.
Midfielders: Miguel Almirón, Aleksey Miranchuk, Tristan Muyumba, Steven Alzate (status dependent), others.
Forwards: Breel Embolo, Fafà Picault, others.
Listed Injury/Suspension Reports
Portland Timbers: Alexander Aravena (hip, out), Brandon Bye (knee/leg, out), Juan Mosquera (foot/ankle surgery, long-term), David da Costa (concussion, out), Zac McGraw (back, out), José Caicedo (lower body, out). Several key pieces sidelined, testing depth.
Atlanta United: Steven Alzate (illness, out/questionable), Giuliano Galoppo (visa/eligibility issues, questionable/out). Relatively healthier overall, with core creators available.
Recent Team Forms (Approximate Last 5 MLS Matches)
Portland Timbers: Mixed but competitive at home — L 1-2 at Dallas, D 2-2 vs St. Louis, W 5-4 vs Minnesota, L 1-2 vs Austin, D 1-1 at LAFC. High-scoring home games.
Atlanta United: Struggling near the bottom of the East — D 0-0 at D.C. United, L 2-3 vs Orlando, D 2-2 at Inter Miami, L 0-2 vs Charlotte, W 2-1 vs Sporting KC. Defensive issues and inconsistency.
Series History / Head-to-Head
Limited recent meetings; Atlanta has historical success in some encounters (e.g., past multi-goal wins). Cross-conference matchups have been competitive, with home advantage often key at Providence Park.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Kristoffer Velde / Antony / Ariel Lassiter (POR attack) vs. Atlanta center backs (Alonso/Mihaj/Jacob) and Lucas Hoyos: Velde’s creativity and finishing will test Atlanta’s organization.
Miguel Almirón / Aleksey Miranchuk / Breel Embolo (ATL attack and creativity) vs. Portland defense (Surman/Miller/Fory) and James Pantemis: Almirón’s dynamism needs support against a physical Timbers side.
Midfield control: Bassett / Chará / da Costa (POR structure) vs. Muyumba / Miranchuk (ATL progression). Wide battles (Fory/Smith vs. Báez) will influence transitions.
Betting Trends
Portland’s home form and Atlanta’s poor away record/goal difference favor the hosts.
MATCH ODDS
Atlanta United FC + 210
Portland Timbers + 109
Draw + 301
Over 3 – 135 Under 3 + 103
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, September 18, 2026
