Portland Timbers v Chicago Fire Betting Tips – MLS, 15th August 04.00am
Portland Timbers and Chicago Fire square off in an MLS fixture on Thursday. The Timbers are in eighth place in the Western Conference at the moment. Meanwhile, the Men in Red are languishing in tenth position in the Eastern table. Portland are in good form, and the hosts go into this one as the 8/11 favourites. However, Chicago, who have won their last two, will not make it easy for the Timbers at Providence Park. Which way will this MLS fixture go in Oregon?
Portland Timbers v Chicago Fire Betting Odds*
Portland Timbers 8/11
Draw 13/5
Chicago Fire 15/4
* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on August 13th, 2019 at 12:30 p.m.)
Visit Bet365
Table of Contents
Portland Timbers News and Form – In-form Timbers to win again?
The Timbers have been hard to beat in recent months, as Giovanni Savarese’s side have lost just three MLS fixtures since May. After losing 1-0 to Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place three months back, the Timbers have gone on to win seven of their following 13 league games.
Portland were beaten 1-0 at Minnesota United recently, but they followed that up with an impressive 3-1 home win over the Whitecaps in their last outing. Sebastian Blanco, Marvin Loria and Jeremy Ebobisse got the goals in that one.
Portland have been excellent at home, winning four, drawing two and losing only one of their seven MLS fixtures on their own patch. The Timbers have won their last two at Providence Park, beating LA Galaxy 4-0 and Vancouver 3-1. Meanwhile, Los Angeles are the only team to have won at Portland’s home in this season’s MLS.
Having picked up nine points from the last 12 on offer, the franchise from Oregon are certainly one of the in-form teams in MLS at the moment. Can Savarese’s troops make it three home wins in a row on Thursday?
Portland Timbers v Chicago Fire Head to Head
These two played out a four-goal thriller when they last met, with the game in Chicago ending in 2-2 back in March 2018
The last two meetings have ended in 2-2 draws
Each of the last three Portland v Chicago MLS matches have been draws
The Fire have never beaten the Timbers in any competition
- The Timbers have lost just once at home in this season’s MLS
- Chicago have picked up only six away points
- The Fire have lost eight of their 12 league away fixtures so far
Chicago Fire News and Form – Can the Fire make it three wins in a row?
Veljko Paunovic’s men have been in good form of late, winning two and drawing one of their last three. After picking up a handy 0-0 draw with DC United, Chicago Fire have won back-to-back games against Houston Dynamo and Montreal Impact.
The Fire were involved in a five-goal thriller at SeatGeek Stadium in their last outing. Chicago raced into a two-goal lead early on, with Dax McCarty and Nemanja Nikolic getting the goals. Montreal hit back to make it 2-2 but Bastian Schweinsteiger scored his first goal of the season with two minutes left to win the points for the Fire.
Chicago have been woeful away from home this term, but they did pick up their first away league win of the season in their last fixture on the road. Nikolic’s goal on the stroke of half time gave the Fire a 1-0 victory over Houston at the BBVA Stadium in Texas. Prior to that, Chicago had lost eight and drawn three of their first 11 MLS away games.
Paunovic and his team will be buoyed by their recent away win in Houston but following that up with another triumph on the road will be a difficult assignment in midweek.
Portland Timbers v Chicago Fire Tips & Odds
Portland Timbers to win at 8/11
Correct score 2-1 – Portland Timbers at 15/2
* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on August 13th, 2019 at 13:33 p.m.)
Portland Timbers v Chicago Fire Predictions
Portland Timbers win: The Timbers have only played seven home league games so far this term, but Savarese’s men have claimed a decent 14 points from a possible 21 on home turf. As for the Fire, they have the joint worst away record in Major League Soccer, picking up a mere six points from 12 matches on the road. Despite winning their last away game, I can see Chicago falling to a narrow defeat in Oregon. Back the hosts to win at 8/11. Meanwhile, there’s good value in the 2-1 home victory at 15/2.
