The Timbers are unbeaten in their last seven matches against Sporting Kansas City (W4 D3, including playoffs) after having never gone more than two in a row without losing to SKC before this run. The Timbers beat Sporting, 7-2, on May 14, the most goals Portland has scored in a match in its MLS history.
Sporting Kansas City’s 4-3 loss to Austin on Saturday was it’s league-high 15th loss of the season. Sporting has lost more games under Peter Vermes only once, losing 16 times in the 2019 season.
The Timbers saw their 10-match unbeaten streak come to an end with a loss in Toronto on Saturday. With the last three of the games in the unbeaten run draws, Portland is winless in four straight matches. the Timbers haven’t gone longer without a win since a five-game run in September 2019 with the fifth of those games being draw at Sporting Kansas City.
Sporting lost to Austin on Saturday despite scoring three goals in the first half. Coupled with the three first-half goals against the Galaxy on August 6, this is the first time Sporting Kansas City has scored three first-half goals in back-to-back MLS matches.
Sebastian Blanco had an assist on Portland’s lone goal against Toronto on Saturday, his 50th regular season assist in MLS. Blanco is one of five players to record 50 or more assists since he joined MLS in 2017, one more than former teammate Diego Valeri (49)in that time.
