Playoff-bound Dynamo aim to spoil Timbers' postseason hopes

Back-to-back victories have reignited the Portland Timbers' bid for a playoff spot, and they will look for another pivotal result when they host the Houston Dynamo on Sunday night.

Portland (11-14-7, 40 points) was mired in a seven-match winless streak (0-4-3) before posting consecutive 3-2 victories over Charlotte FC and St. Louis City.

Entering the weekend, the Timbers sat in 11th place in a tightly bunched Western Conference.

The Colorado Rapids (12-13-7, 43 points) and Seattle Sounders (11-11-10, 43 points) each held 43 points, three more than Portland. Colorado played late Saturday night.

"It's two games left," Timbers coach Marti Cifuentes said. "We know it's not just up to us but we have a chance as long as we win the next two games. My focus is on trying to compete the best we can on Sunday."

There are six scenarios in which Portland could be eliminated from playoff contention this weekend. Four involve a loss and other results, while two involve a draw and additional outcomes.

On Wednesday, Kristoffer Velde recorded a brace as the Timbers jumped out to a 3-0 lead before St. Louis City later made it close. David Da Costa had a goal and an assist for Portland.

Velde leads the Timbers with 10 goals.

Houston (14-9-9, 51 points) has already clinched a playoff spot and entered the weekend tied with St. Louis City in the standings.

The Dynamo are coming off a milestone 1-0 victory over the Sounders on Wednesday. It marked the first time in 18 visits to Seattle that Houston left with a win. The Dynamo are 1-13-4 in Seattle.

Houston has tied the club record with 13 clean sheets, while goalkeeper Jonathan Bond has 12 to match the individual mark shared by Tally Hall (2012) and Steve Clark (2023). The Dynamo entered the weekend with 39 goals allowed, fourth-fewest in the league.

Against Seattle, Lucas Halter scored in the 26th minute after Mateusz Bogusz began the sequence with a corner kick.

Dynamo coach Ben Olsen wants to see his team climb the standings to secure the highest seed possible and reach its best level heading into the playoffs.

"We have to see some of these metrics that we want to move forward get better," Olsen said. "Whether it's more clarity on who we are with the ball, more clarity on who we are without the ball, building relationships with some of our new players that have come in later than we expected. All this stuff has to get better."

Houston registered a 3-2 home win over Portland on March 14 when Bogusz scored in the 15th minute of second-half stoppage time.

--Field Level Media