Free MLS Playoffs Pick Portland vs. Minnesota
Looking for Portland Timbers vs. Minnesota United free picks? MLS betting sees Portland taking on Minnesota on Sunday, November 21, 2021, at Providence Park in Portland, OR. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all MLS soccer matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE MLS Playoff predictions.
MLS Playoffs Handicapping
Portland Timbers vs. Minnesota United
Date: Sunday, November 21, 2021
Time: 5:30 PM ET
Venue: Providence Park
MLS Moneyline 3-Way 1×2 Odds: Home +110 / Draw +275 / Away +245 (Bet Now!)
MLS Spread Betting Odds: Portland -0.5 +110 / Minnesota +0.5 -130
MLS Betting Total: O/U 3
The Portland Timbers will get to host a post-season game again as they chase their second MLS Cup title and their first since 2015. This team did win the MLS Is Back trophy in 2020 amidst the pandemic-shortened season but Coach Gio has yet to guide his club to the MLS title.
Coach Savarese is simply a winner and I know this because I personally spent a lot of time with him with the NY Cosmos. Gio was the face of the NASL leading the Cosmos to finals appearances year after year earning quite a bit of hardware along the way. That was then and this is now, however, but there must be something about the color green that suits him just fine.
The Timbers Army will be in full-throat as usual for this massive playoff game at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Loons were also once an NASL member until the 2017 season that saw the end of the league completely. When the NASL disbanded this organization started the quest to become a larger entity in the MLS and here they are. This is the 5th season with Minnesota in MLS and they were just a semifinalist in last year’s 2020 MLS playoffs.
The winner of this match will go on to face the 1-seed, and that will give the Colorado Rapids some time to rest having not played since November 8. By the same token, that is a lot of time in between matches so it might take some time to form some continuity again for the home side.
Portland Timbers
I can only go by my experience from being around Coach Gio to tell you that he will have this team ready to go. As obvious as that sounds, the dude just knows how to get the best out of his players and he knows how to win games that matter.
This is an obvious win or stay-home match without any two-legged affairs in the MLS Cup Playoffs for 2021 to rely on in case of a bad first outing. There is no room for even one mistake at this point and you saw the determination in how the regular season came to a close.
The Timbers rolled off 3 straight wins headed to the playoffs and momentum coming into any post-season is always a good thing to be carrying.
The Timbers and Coach Gio are certainly aware that Minnesota has had their number since he arrived out west. You can see his intensity from the yellow cards he seems to always pick up and he was even suspended for the Nov 4 match from the card count against him.
Not many head coaches get suspended for yellow card accumulations but Coach Gio is no calm character during games.
If being candid and real is not right? Coach Gio gives two shits about any of that noise because he wears his heart on both sleeves and around his collar too!
Minnesota United FC
The Seattle Sounders took out this team in the Western Conference finals just a game away from making their first finals showing in 2020. Minnesota earned the 5th seed in this year’s final regular-season standings and they are the only team with a negative goal differential in the MLS Cup Playoffs (42 – 44).
If you followed this club in 2021 it was a strange campaign with plenty of ups and downs for this 13 – 10 – 11 team that could have easily missed out on the post-season. The final game of the season against the Galaxy changed the entire structure of the Western Conference standings as a 3- 3 draw left Minnesota 1 point ahead of the Galaxy for the 5 seed.
Adrian Heath has been with this team since their first MLS campaign in 2017 and his influence is a big one with all of his time in England in the Premier League. Heath was a big part of the rise of Orlando City in MLS when they first arrived as the 21st franchise to join the league.
If there is one outfit that Minnesota has owned it comes in the form of the Portland Timbers. Minnesota has taken wins in 7 of their last 8 meetings between these teams and they took both regular-season meetings this year.
Minnesota took a 1 – 0 win in Portland back in June and they followed that up with a 2 – 1 win at home in July against the Timbers.
Robin Lod led this team in scoring with only 9 goals in 2021 and Adrien Hunou trailed close behind with 7 balls into the opposing nets this season.
Free Portland Timbers vs. Minnesota United MLS Final Analysis:
This total is up to 3 from the normal 2.5 we are seeing in the other MLS Cup Playoff games to this point. Portland certainly has plenty of play-makers and now we see Diego Valeri off the bench instead of him being in the everyday lineup.
The Loons will press with confidence with the absence of Jeff Attinella in the net for Portland. I see this as a 2 – 1 home win for Coach Gio and the boys but the lines here really aren’t useful for such a result. It will take a 4th goal to cash our Over 3 ticket but it is the best bet to make even if we have to settle for the push. Hopefully, we see a pair of goals from each team and the rest of the match will just be fun to watch unfold.
4* Free MLS Playoffs Betting Pick: Over 3 Goals @ +105
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