New York City FC Head Coach Patrick Vieira has made four changes to the XI which started the 2-2 draw in Atlanta last week.
For today's clash at Providence Park vs. the Portland Timbers, Vieira has brought Ronald Matarrita, Ebenezer Ofori, Rodney Wallace and David Villa back into the lineup.
Isi Tajouri-Shradi misses out through injury, while Ben Sweat, Yangel Herrera and Jesus Medina all drop to the bench.
Elsewhere, the XI is the same one that began at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, with Sean Johnson in goal behind Anton Tinnerholm, Maxime Chanot, Alexander Callens and Matarrita.
Last weekend's goalscoring Star of the Game Alex Ring anchors the midfield behind Ofori and Maxi Moralez, with Wallace, Jo Inge Berget and Villa leading the line.
On the bench, the aforementioned trio are joined by Brad Stuver, Sebastien Ibeagha and Tommy McNamara, who scored on his last trip here.
City are looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season to eight games, while Portland will want to make it back-to-back wins for the first time this year.
NYCFC XI: Johnson, Tinnerholm, Chanot, Callens, Matarrita, Ring, Ofori, Moralez, Wallace, Berget, Villa (C)
Subs: Stuver, Ibegha, Abdul-Salaam, Sweat, Herrera, McNamara, Medina
READ:Major Keys to NYCFC at Portland Timbers
Match Stats
- This will be the fourth ever meeting between the two teams, and the road team has won the three previous meetings. Portland (2W) took last year’s meeting, 1-0, on September 9th.
- Portland’s 3-2 win over Minnesota last weekend was just their second in their last seven regular season games (3L-2D), dating back to last year. The Timbers have not kept a clean sheet in any of those seven games, allowing 2.1 goals per game on average.
- City are unbeaten in eight consecutive MLS games overall (5W-3D), which is the longest run in franchise history. Additionally, they have scored in a franchise-record 10 consecutive league road games (4W-1L-5D).
- Alvas Powell scored and assisted against Minnesota last weekend, just his second time in 101 regular season appearances scoring and assisting in the same game.
- Following his goal last weekend, David Villa has now put away 18 of the 21 penalties he has taken in MLS play (including the postseason).
- Portland’s 2.0 expected goals against per game is the third highest in the league, while NYCFC’s 1.4 expected goals against is the seventh lowest in the league.
- Sean Johnson enters this weekend leading or tied for the league lead in starts (seven), saves (28), saves on shots outside the box (14) and touches among keepers (367).
- Diego Valeri had a goal and four key passes against Minnesota last weekend, his 14th regular season MLS game with a goal and at least four key passes. Federico Higuaín (16) is the only player with more such regular season games since Valeri joined the league prior to the 2013 season.
- Fanendo Adi won nine aerial duels against Minnesota last weekend, tied for the third most a player has won in a game so far this season.
- Alexander Callens has played 3,675 regular season minutes since the start of the 2017 season, the most of any MLS player (including goalkeepers).
