Oh, what a delight. We have two teams here, Portland Timbers and Austin FC, who have seemingly forgotten that the aim of the game is to outscore your opponent, not just participate in a passing clinic. Can't knock them for their sportsmanship, though.
In the green corner, we have the Timbers, blessed with Evander and Jonathan Rodríguez, lads who seem to know what the back of the net is. And then there's Santiago Moreno, who can hit a dime from 40 yards out but apparently, goals are beneath him. Their keeper, Maxime Crépeau isn't too shabby either, sporting a 7.0 rating.
Over on the other side, we've got Austin FC, a team with a real democratic spirit – they've collectively decided that one person scoring all the goals is just too mainstream. Though, Jader Obrian seems to be trying with 2 goals to his name. Now, their goalie Brad Stuver is interesting - he could save the Titanic with a 6.98 save rating.
Looking at their past meet and greets, Portland usually has the upper hand but Austin did manage to pull a shocker back in 2021 with a 4-1 drubbing. Speaking of past performances, let's not forget their recent forms. Austin seems to be on a majestic journey to draw every match they play while Portland prefers to mix it up a bit, sometimes with victorious fanfare and sometimes with a humbling defeat.
Many might say the past is the past, what matters is the present and the future. So, when it comes down to it, odds lean more favorably towards the Timbers. As do I, but not because I'm a timber enthusiast, the stats simply don't lie.
Albert’s Prediction: Portland Timbers by 1