Struggling Timbers host Real Salt Lake (Jul 19, 2017)

By AP
Published

Perhaps no Major League Soccer team needed the Gold Cup break more than the Portland Timbers.

And perhaps no team wanted to be sidelined less than Real Salt Lake.

The teams will resume MLS play on Wednesday night, when they meet at Providence Park in Portland, Ore.

The injury-riddled Timbers (7-7-6) are winless in their past five matches, and they tied each of their past three.

Real Salt Lake (6-12-2) is coming off a 6-2 victory over the Galaxy at Los Angeles on July 4 and was impressive Monday in a 2-1 loss to Manchester United in an international friendly.

"Our biggest focus is on Wednesday, but we know it's important bringing in a big club like Manchester United to put on a decent performance and compete," RSL midfielder Kyle Beckerman said after the Monday match. "Thirty minutes of fun (before the starters were subbed out); now we switch back to looking at Portland."

Fellow midfielder Albert Rusnak had a goal and two assists in the victory against the Galaxy as RSL matched a franchise record for most goals in an MLS match.

"The confidence is much better than it was a month ago," Rusnak said after the Monday friendly. "That 6-2 win at L.A. gave us more confidence, and today I think we showed everybody that we can play great soccer against bigger clubs. Like Kyle said, the second half is not about playing great, it's about getting points and trying to get that playoff spot."

RSL striker Yura Movsisyan, who has a team-leading six goals, missed the Manchester United match with a lingering hip issue sustained over the break and is questionable for Wednesday, coach Mike Petke said.

The Timbers certainly wish MLS' Gold Cup break was a bit longer, as they are still missing midfielder David Guzman (Costa Rica), midfielder Darren Mattocks (Jamaica) and defender Alvas Powell (Jamaica). Plus, midfielder Darlington Nagbe was called up to the United States' team for the knockout phase of the competition.

Portland defender Gbenga Arokoyo (Achilles tear) is out for the season, with teammates Jack Barmby (ankle), Liam Ridgewell (quad) and Amobi Okugo (knee) unavailable Wednesday. The Timbers' Chance Myers, Vytautas Andriuskevicius and Diego Chara are all questionable for the match due to hamstring injuries.

The Timbers will have midfielder Diego Valeri, who was chosen Tuesday for the MLS All-Star team. The MLS squad is scheduled to face UEFA Champions League winner Real Madrid on Aug. 2 in Chicago.

"It is an honor," Valeri told The Oregonian. "Obviously, Real Madrid is the best team in Europe."