The World Cup is over, the trophy has been handed out, and that means Portland Timbers soccer is back at Providence Park.
The club will play its first home game in 60 days on Wednesday when they host FC Dallas, featuring plenty of storylines to follow. It will be the first trip back to the Rose City for winger Santiago Moreno, who left the club last August for Brazilian giants Fluminense before returning to Major League Soccer this spring. The departure was not a smooth one, as Moreno’s exit was overshadowed by an unexcused absence and a public transfer request, and he is certain to hear boos from sections of the home crowd all night.
Interim head coach Jack Cassidy will take charge for the second time, as the Timbers wait for new hire Martí Cifuentes to receive his visa to work in the country. He will probably stick with the 4-3-3 that led to last week’s thrashing of fierce rivals Seattle Sounders, relying on a lower defensive block and quick ball movement down the wings. There is some uncertainty on whether Designated Player Kristoffer Velde will start after missing time due to a personal matter. Still, he trained in full on Tuesday and appears capable of handling a full 90 minutes.
Jose Caicedo will likely make his sixth start as a Timber to give the veteran Diego Chara a breather. Alex Bonetig’s physical frame makes him the natural choice to mark Petar Musa, who has 12 goals on the year and has done the majority of his damage in the penalty area. Brandon Bye is in good form and is likely to stay in the starting lineup for a while as first-choice right back Juan David Mosquera waits for further evaluation on his injured foot.
Dallas as a whole started the year hot and have kept their foot on the gas. They currently sit fifth in the Western Conference, thanks in part to years of work building out a more well-rounded supporting cast around Musa. Bringing in centerbacks Osaze Urhoghide from France and Lalas Abubakar from the Colorado Rapids has helped fix what was one of the worst defenses in North American soccer, as they now rank 10th best in MLS in goals conceded. They’ll get another boost with star goalkeeper Daniel likely to make his debut for the club against the Timbers following the trade made with San Jose earlier this month.
Their approach to developing young players continues to deliver, doing what most MLS clubs struggle to do: turn a SuperDraft pick into a useful player. Forward Logan Farrington has solidified his status as one of the league’s best young talents in 2026, recording six goals in what has been a breakout season for him.
Still, Portland are the clear favorites heading into Wednesday night. They’re at home, in good spirits, and have embraced the way Cassidy likes to play. Anything other than three points would feel like a disappointing result. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT, and like all Timbers games, the match will stream live on Apple TV.
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