Kickoff: 7:30 PM CT (8:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM PT)
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas (Capacity: ~22,000)
Broadcast: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Weather Forecast (Houston, TX)
Temperature: ~86°F (30°C) at kickoff, humid conditions
Conditions: Mostly clear skies, light winds (5–8 mph)
Impact: Typical Houston humidity could test both sides’ stamina, especially late in the match.
Injury & Suspension Report
Houston Dynamo FC (12th in West, 33 pts):
Head coach Ben Olsen – suspended (yellow card accumulation).
Midfielder Artur – suspended (red card).
Júnior Urso – available, could mark his 100th MLS start.
Ezequiel Ponce – leading scorer with 9 league goals.
Jack McGlynn – 6 goals, 7 assists, key midfield distributor.
Portland Timbers (6th in West, 42 pts):
No major injuries reported.
Matías Rojas – scored in last match vs. NY Red Bulls.
Anthony Alves – also on the scoresheet last weekend.
Key Player Matchups
Ezequiel Ponce (HOU) vs. Portland Center Backs
Ponce’s finishing will be critical with Houston missing Artur’s midfield support.
Jack McGlynn (HOU) vs. Diego Chará (POR)
McGlynn’s creativity against Chará’s defensive bite could dictate tempo.
Matías Rojas (POR) vs. Houston Fullbacks
Rojas’ ability to cut inside and shoot from distance is a major threat.
Anthony Alves (POR) vs. Steve Clark (HOU GK)
Alves’ movement in the box vs. Clark’s shot-stopping could swing the game.
Recent Team Form
Houston Dynamo FC:
Last 6: D–D–L–W–D–L
Last match: 2–1 loss vs. Colorado Rapids (McGlynn scored, Andrade own goal in stoppage time).
Trend: Just 1 win in last 11 matches; winless in last 7 at home.
Portland Timbers:
Last 6: D–L–L–D–D–W
Last match: 2–1 win vs. NY Red Bulls (Rojas & Alves goals).
Trend: Ended a 5-game winless streak; unbeaten in last 2.
Series History
All-time meetings: 29 prior MLS matches.
Houston wins: 9
Portland wins: 10
Draws: 10
Dynamo have lost just 1 of last 5 vs. Portland.
Last meeting at Shell Energy Stadium: Houston won 1–0 (March 2024).
Portland have not kept a clean sheet in last 6 vs. Houston.
Betting Trends
Houston Dynamo:
1 win in last 12 across all competitions.
Winless in last 7 at home.
Both Teams to Score (BTTS) has hit in 100% of last 6 matches.
Portland Timbers:
Just 1 win in last 6, but ended drought last weekend.
67% of last 6 matches went over 2.5 goals.
Struggled on the road, but still in playoff contention.
Historical Betting Results
Houston: Poor ATS at home recently; bettors backing unders have lost as defense leaks goals.
Portland: Profitable ATS when scoring first; overs common in their recent games.
Trend: 4 of last 5 Houston–Portland meetings have seen both teams score.
MATCH ODDS
Houston Dynamo FC + 135 Draw + 240 Portland Timbers + 235
Over 2.5 – 150 Under 2.5 + 120
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, September 19, 2025
