Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake Predictions, MLS Picks, Betting Tips 8/29/2020

by Tony Sink - 8/27/2020

Game: Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake

Date: Saturday, August 29, 2020

Location: Providence Park in Portland, OR

TV: Fox 12 Plus

Odds/Point Spread: Portland (+200) Salt Lake (+120)

Providence Park is the venue where Corey Baird and Real Salt Lake (2-3-1, 6th in the Western Conference) will play the Portland Timbers (3-1-2, 4th in the Western Conference) on Saturday. The goalies protecting the net are Steve Clark for the Portland Timbers and Zac MacMath for Real Salt Lake. The Timbers are priced at +200 while RSL is at +120. The total has been set at 2.5.

The Timbers have earned 8 goals this season, which is 13th in MLS. They have launched 59 shots at their opponents with 25 being on target, which comes out to a 42.4% shots on target percentage. Portland has controlled possession for 47.8% of matches while they have success at dribbling 63.4% of the time (7th in the league). Their players have been on the receiving end of 2,334 passes on 2,710 tries on the season, which makes their receiving percentage 86.1%.

Felipe Mora is a guy who should be able to impact this match for the Timbers. He has totaled 5 assists while accumulating 14 yellow cards so far in his MLS career. Mora has had a starting assignment in 126 games thus far in his career and he scores 0.46 goals per 90. The forward who was born in Chile has accumulated 56 goals scored (29th among active players) in 10,987 minutes. One more guy who could decide who wins is Sebastian Blanco, the forward from Argentina. He has helped a teammate on a goal 41 times thus far in his career while scoring 44 goals. Blanco has accumulated 16,021 mins in 179 starts and has been given a total of 47 yellow card warnings. He scores 0.25 goals per 90 minutes in his pro soccer career (104th among active MLS players).

The guy protecting the net for Portland is Steve Clark. Clark has played for 19,701 minutes and has earned 770 stops during his pro soccer career. His goals allowed per 90 mins is 1.48 (324 goals allowed) and he is the owner of a save percentage of .705. The goalie from the United States has faced 1,092 shots tried at him in 219 career starting assignments. Clark (74-63-81 record during his soccer career) has earned 50 clean sheets, which has him sitting with a 22.8% shutout rate.

Salt Lake has totaled 2,827 pass targets on the season (16th in MLS) to go along with 2,480 successful received passes. They have earned a receiving percentage of 87.7% while controlling possession of the ball 55.3% of the time. RSL have dribbled successfully 60.2% of the time this year while totaling 7 goals. They have been able to connect on 31.7% of their shots on 63 total shots.

Corey Baird will need to provide a spark for Salt Lake. The forward from the United States has played 4,538 minutes while scoring 15 goals (140th among active MLS players). He has totaled 12 yellow card warnings in his pro soccer career and has helped on a goal 9 times. He is averaging 0.30 goals per 90 mins and has been a starter in 57 outings so far in his MLS career. You should also watch out for Damir Kreilach, the midfielder who represents Croatia. He has accumulated 73 goals in his pro soccer career while helping a teammate on a goal 25 times. Kreilach has been handed a total of 58 yellow card cautions in 27,498 professional minutes played (311 starting assignments). His goals per 90 min average during his career is 0.24 (108th among active players).

Zac MacMath will look after the goal for RSL. During his career, MacMath has given up 191 goals while he has tallied 430 saves in 145 starting assignments. He has given up 1.31 goals per 90 minutes while earning a record of 48-43-54. He has earned a save percentage of .698 and his shutout rate is currently 26.9%. MacMath has earned 39 clean sheets while he has defended 616 shots tried against him in 13,163 mins in his career.

Who will win tonight's soccer game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Salt Lake (+120)

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Expert:	Doc's Sports

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Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #409 Kansas Jayhawks +1 over Baylor Bears (12p.m., Saturday, November 30 ESPN2) Kansas is one more win away from becoming bowl eligible and will enter this game in Waco having won 3 straight games and 4 of their last 5. Those have been impressive wins against Iowa State, BYU, and Colorado, all 3 are better teams than what they will see from Baylor on Saturday. Baylor will enter having won 5 straight games, but those came against bottom feeder teams in the conference. Take the road underdog in this game, as Kansas completes a remarkable turnaround to become bowl eligible. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend Card featuring top play winners in basketball, football, and hockey. Sign-up now and let 53 years of handicapping experience work for you. Read More Read Less

Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake Predictions, MLS Picks, Betting Tips 8/29/2020

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