Pre-season is over, and the Portland Timbers kick off their 16th season in Major League Soccer at home to the Columbus Crew – Kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT at Providence Park.
Quick Facts & Info
Referees: Alan Chapman, assistants Kevin Lock, Diego Blas, fourth official Brandon Stevis, and VAR official Jose Carlos Rivero
Broadcast:
Commentators: English – Steve Cangialosi, Danny Higginbotham // Spanish – Bruno Vain, Andres Agulla
Portland Timbers MLS head-to-head record against the Columbus Crew: 7W - 4D - 3L
Last Match: A 2-2 draw in Columbus on April, 20, 2024, goals scored by Felipe Mora (10'), Cucho Hernandez (51'), Santiago Moreno (57'), and Steven Moreira (74').
Injury Report
OUT: David da Costa (POR), Juan Mosquera (POR), Omir Fernandez (POR), Zac McGraw (POR), Mohamed Farsi (CLB)
QUESTIONABLE: Ibrahim Aliyu (CLB)
The injury bug has hit the Timbers before a ball has been kicked (well, they've been kicking balls for a few weeks now but you catch my drift), opening the door for several squad players to capitalize on a starting opportunity.
Juan Mosquera would have missed this match through suspension (red card in season-ending 4-0 loss against San Diego FC) regardless of what Phil Neville described as "a knock" sustained in pre-season, giving Brandon Bye a clear opportunity at right back for at least few weeks.
Designated Player David da Costa will be out for the first few matches of the year following an off-season shoulder surgery, and his likeliest replacement at #10, Omir Fernandez, will be out until after the World Cup having underwent a procedure on a significant foot injury on Jan. 30.
Timbers Off-season Transactions
IN:
- #16 Sawyer Jura, 19, USA, Right back (Timbers2/Academy – Free)
- #26 Hunter Sulte, 23, USA, Goalkeeper (Timbers2/Academy/Indy Eleven loan – Free)
- #5 Brandon Bye, 30, USA, Right back (New England Revolution – Free agent)
- #6 Alex Bonetig, 23, Australia, Center back (Western Sydney Wanderers – ~$2 million dollars)
- #17 Cole Bassett, 24, USA, Center midfield (Colorado Rapids – $2.65, up to $3.7 million dollars)
OUT:
- #24 David Ayala, 23, Argentina, Center midfield (Inter Miami CF – $2 million dollars)
- #35 Matias Rojas, 30, Paraguay, Right wing (Without club – Contract expiry)
- #17 Cristhian Paredes, 27, Paraguay, Center midfield (Cerro Porteño – Contract expiry)
- #16 Maxime Crepeau, 31, Canada, Goalkeeper (Orlando City SC – Contract expiry)
- #33 Felipe Carballo, 29, Uruguay, Center midfield (Grêmio FBPA – End of loan)
- #13 Dario Zuparic, 33, Croatia, Center back (Hapoel Haifa FC – Contract expiry)
- #14 Jonathan Rodriguez, 32, Uruguay, Striker (Without club – Waive, contract buyout)
Lineup Prediction
Phil Neville's final starting XI of the pre-season, a 4-3 win against the Chicago Fire, is what I expect he'll deploy against Columbus tonight. With the current injuries, I think all but one player from that lineup are locks to start Matchday 1.
It's possible that Neville gives the nod to veteran Kamal Miller over newcomer Alex Bonetig as he settles into life with the Timbers in Portland. I also expect to see both Joao Ortiz and Felipe Mora replace Diego Chara and Kevin Kelsy at some point in the second half for 20-30 minutes.
Neville also told media on Wednesday that one or two youngsters could see minutes this weekend, making it likely that one or both of Eric Izoita and Noah Santos could be called up from T2 for the match. Based on the need for another body at the base of midfield, I predict that call-up will be Izoita given his stature and positive pre-season performances.
Ian Smith, Eric Miller, and Sawyer Jura comprise three different options to change up the backline based on game-state, and Gage Guerra looks primed to make a big jump in 2026 in and around the goal.
Key Questions
How does the midfield triangle of Chara-Bassett-Velde look?
Cole Bassett is undoubtedly Portland's biggest acquisition of the off-season so far, and completely changes how the Timbers midfield will operate compared to the Ayala years. Where a Chara-Ayala double-pivot was more of a defensive/holding partnership, Bassett will be putting just as much effort into getting forward as he will his defensive duties – hopefully unlocking more options for the front four, with Velde as the #10, as a ball-carrying #8. That's not to say Bassett won't be helping Chara and the Timbers' backline, but how quickly his teammates adapt to his average field position being further up the pitch than Ayala will be crucial to the team finding their best form, both at the back and in front of goal.
Will the Timbers provide more service to their strikers in 2026?
Much has been made of the Timbers' strikers underwhelming, or inconsistent production throughout the 2025 campaign – It felt like the majority of Neville's pressers last season included some version of "The service to our forwards wasn't good enough."
In theory, Kevin Kelsy should be a winger's best friend. He's quick, strong, good in the air, and has shown glimpses of a lethal finishing ability when found in the penalty area by his teammates. This season I would like to see a lot less of him dropping deep to be involved in play, and a lot more of Antony, Lassiter, Velde, and co. finding him with consistent crosses.
Can Portland's young backline continue their upward trajectory?
Finn Surman and Jimer Fory were revelations at the back for the Timbers in 2025, leading the club to a much improved and more resilient-looking defense that previous seasons. Pantemis is now the clear #1 with Crepeau leaving for Orlando in free agency, and general manager Ned Grabavoy has bolstered the center-back and full-back positions with meaningful depth to challenge the likes of Juan Mosquera and Kamal Miller for spots in the team.
The average age of Portland's defenders is 25.7-years-old, with Bye, 30, and Eric Miller, 33, the only two players over the age of 28. Bonetig, Kamal Miller, and Surman all have World Cup aspirations with their respective nations this summer, which can only be a good thing for competition within the squad.
