The Portland Timbers head to Commerce City, Colorado to face the Colorado Rapids this Saturday, October 1st. Kickoff is scheduled for 6PM Pacific and the match can be viewed on MLS Live, Altitude, and KPDX. 

Playoff implications

This match is huge for both teams. Colorado is currently in a two-way tie for second place in the West with the LA Galaxy. Not exactly a team you want to be fighting with late in the season. A loss for the Rapids this weekend could see them fall all the way to fifth depending on other results.

Portland is just outside the playoff picture in seventh place, tied with the sixth place Seattle Sounders on points. A win this week means jumping up to fifth or sixth place. While a loss only means the team stays in seventh, they'll likely just move further and further away from making the playoffs.

Missing the playoffs isn't acceptable for the reigning MLS Cup Champions. They need to at least place sixth for this season to be considered any kind of success. Everything is going to come down to whether or not Portland can fin a way to win on the road.

Last Match

Last time out, the Rapids came out of BC Place with a draw. Shkëlzen Gashi scored twice in the 3-3 draw and is sitting on five goals in seven games. This draw brought Colorado up to a three-game undefeated streak. 

Portland didn't do so well with their trip to Houston, Texas last week. The Dynamo lit Portland up to the tune of a 3-1 defeat. The only good news for the Timbers was a Diego Valeri goal that brings him up to a two-game scoring streak. Something that will need to continue if the club wants any points this weekend. An in-form Diego Valeri is up there with the best players in Major League Soccer.

Prediction

This one doesn't look very good to the Timbers, as much as their supporters would like it to. There's a lot working against them. Portland just got back from a CONCACAF Champions League match in El Salvador, barely earning a win. They also have to deal with playing at altitude against a team that hasn't lost at home. This match will really tell us something about the current state of the Portland Timbers. 

That said, the best they'll get is a draw. Diego Valeri or Fanendo Adi will get a goal, but it's inevitable that Steven Taylor will make a mistake and give up a goal. Taylor was a necessary signing, but he had some poor games and made some bone-headed mistakes. 

One thing to note is that Rapids don't score with frequency, nor do they give up many goals. However, if Portland can get on the scoreboard then there is a definite, albeit small, chance to walk away with three points. After all, you can never fully count out the club with a gold star above their crest.

Colorado Rapids: 1, Portland Timbers: 1