The Portland Timbers take on the Columbus Crew this afternoon in their first return to MAPFRE Stadium since winning the 2015 MLS Cup. With both teams much changed from that final and both looking to bounce back from disappointing 2016 seasons, the three points on offer today should be hotly contested.
Front and center in the minds of Timbers fans coming into this match will be the side’s absences which continue to mount through injuries and international call-ups. Darlington Nagbe and David Guzman are the latest players to miss time for the side as the midfielders were respectively called up by the United States and Costa Rica.