PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have chosen formations that used two forwards on only six occasions during MLS’ 2018 season, but before Saturday’s match against FC Dallas, each forward pairing had featured one of Diego Valeri or Dairon Asprilla, players most don’t consider natural, through-the-middle forwards. Valeri is an attacking midfielder; Asprilla, a winger.
Against, Dallas, though, the team’s first-choice striker, Samuel Armenteros, was paired with the next player on the depth chart, Jeremy Ebobisse, for the first time this season.