Portland to unveil long-awaited Providence Park renovations

• Portland to unveil long-awaited Providence Park renovations
• Five-time MLS Cup winner Arena to make Revolution debut at Galaxy
• MLS players shining for U.S. and Argentina at U-20 World Cup
• Week 14 Notes

Top Things to Know about MLS This Week
Hats off for hat tricks:
MLS has seen 19 hat tricks in 11 of 13 total weeks this season.
U.S. U-20s in World Cup Group Stage:
MLS academy products have scored all three goals for the U.S. U-20s in the Group Stage. They next face Qatar in their final Group Stage match on Thursday (2:30 p.m. ET, FS1).
Stadium investments still rising:
A combined $5 billion (and growing) has been invested into 20 MLS stadiums built or transformed for soccer since 1998, with five brand-new venues opened over the last four years and five more to come by 2021. Additionally, this week the Portland Timbers will enjoy the reopening of Providence Park following an $85 million renovation and expansion project.
Brian Fernandez pacing Portland:
The newest Timbers forward already has three goals in two appearances heading into the grand reopening of Providence Park.
U.S. Open Cup draw on deck:
This Thursday, MLS clubs will learn their respective pairings for the longest-running tournament in American sports history. MLS clubs begin Fourth Round play on June 12.
MLS All-Star voting underway:
Voting for the 2019 MLS All-Star Game Fan XI presented by Target is now open online at
MLSsoccer.com
, through the free
MLS app
, and via the EA SPORTS™ “More Than a Vote” Challenge.
Soccer For All Month:
MLS last week launched the Second Annual Soccer For All Month, which showcases the collective efforts leaguewide to foster more inclusive communities. Read more
here
.
Portland to unveil long-awaited Providence Park renovations
Following their MLS-record, 12-game road trip to start the 2019 season, the Portland Timbers make their much-anticipated home debut on Saturday as they reopen historic Providence Park following an $85 million transformation of the iconic venue.
First constructed in 1926, Providence Park has undergone 20 months of extensive renovations and improvements, most notably with the addition of 4,000 new seats as part of a three-tiered eastside expansion of the stadium. The ambitious project includes a great deal more than the new seats, though, as virtually the entire stadium has been updated and enhanced. The new features at Providence Park include new locker rooms for the Timbers and Portland Thorns FC, new team stores, a new state-of-the-art scoreboard that measures twice as large as the previous scoreboard, several new video boards throughout the stadium, a new sound system, an increased number of ingress/egress gates, and refreshed concession stands and concourse amenities throughout the building.  
The Timbers head into this grand reopening with a bit of recent history in their favor after the Los Angeles Football Club’s six-game road start in 2018 yielded a Banc of California opening 10-game home unbeaten streak that bettered Atlanta United’s five-game home unbeaten streak after opening Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017.
Five more stadiums are on the horizon for MLS clubs in Miami, Nashville, Cincinnati, Columbus and Austin, in addition to anticipated venues for expansion teams No. 28 and 29.
Five-time MLS Cup winner Arena to make Revolution debut at Galaxy
New England Revolution head coach and sporting director
Bruce Arena
, a five-time MLS Cup winner and former U.S. Men’s National Team head coach, makes his return to the sidelines when the Revolution face the LA Galaxy on Sunday at Dignity Health Sports Park (10:30 p.m. ET / ESPN+).
Arena won three MLS Cups with LA, including a 2014 title over New England – the last time the Revolution have reached the final. Now the second-winningest coach in MLS history is on the other side, looking to turn around a Revolution organization that hasn’t reached the postseason since 2015.
Arena was introduced by his new club on May 16, and his MLS track record speaks for itself. In 14 seasons, he has guided clubs to seven MLS Cup appearances (five titles), won three MLS Coach of the Year honors and has accrued 202 regular season victories. Arena and the late Sigi Schmid also are the only two coaches in league history to earn MLS Cups with two different organizations.
Can Arena turn New England into a title contender in a Boston market renowned for championship success?
MLS players shining for U.S. and Argentina at U-20 World Cup
Behind the play of MLS academy products, the United States is on the brink of advancing out of Group D at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. FC Dallas midfielder
Paxton Pomykal
has captained the U.S. in a pair of matches, including a 2-0 victory over Nigeria on Monday. All three of the U.S. goals this tournament have been scored by MLS academy products including one goal by FC Dallas midfielder
Brandon Servania
and two by Real Salt Lake product
Sebastian Soto
.
The U.S. next faces Qatar on Thursday in Tychy, Poland (2:30 p.m. ET, FS2), with a victory guaranteeing the Americans to advance to the Round of 16.
Atlanta United midfielder
Ezequiel Barco
meanwhile scored two goals in Argentina’s 5-2 victory over South Africa on Saturday. Barco’s two goals are tied for second in the tournament entering Argentina’s second group stage match against Portugal today (12 p.m. ET).
MLS Regular Season: Week 14 Notes
Wednesday, May 29
Atlanta United vs. Minnesota United FC, 7 p.m. ET

• Atlanta United suffered a second consecutive defeat on the heels of a five-game winning run, falling 2-1 to Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on Friday evening.
  
• Josef Martínez scored his sixth goal of the season; he has scored each of ATLUTD’s last two goals. Martínez has four goals over the last six games; he has been involved in six of Atlanta’s last eight goals over that span.
  
• Minnesota United won a second consecutive match – both by a 1-0 scoreline – in defeating the Houston Dynamo at Allianz Field on Saturday evening. It’s the second time in the club’s MLS history MNUFC has recorded consecutive shutouts – the first time in back-to-back wins (previously on 4/24, 0-0 vs. LA; 4/28, 1-0 vs. DC).
  
• The road team has won each of the three meetings in the all-time series between the expansion class of 2017. Atlanta United won the lone meeting a season ago, a 1-0 win on March 31 at TCF Bank Stadium.
  
• The teams split their two encounters in their inaugural campaigns. Atlanta United claimed a 6-1 win in a snowstorm in the first meeting on March 12, 2017, in Minneapolis; MNUFC then captured a 3-2 victory on Oct. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta’s first defeat in its new home.
  

Montreal Impact vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m. ET (TSN, TVA Sports)

• The Impact had their winless run extended to three games with a second loss in that time, falling 4-2 to the Los Angeles Football Club at Banc of California Stadium on Friday evening.
  
• Real Salt Lake won a third consecutive game in dramatic fashion, getting the game-winning goal in stoppage time for a 2-1 win against Atlanta United at Rio Tinto Stadium on Friday evening. Jefferson Savarino scored the game-winner four minutes into added time, his second consecutive game with a goal.
  
• The Impact have a four-game undefeated streak alive in the series, after the teams played to a 1-1 draw last Aug. 11 at Rio Tinto Stadium, the second consecutive draw between the teams in Sandy.
  
• The Impact have won all three meetings at Stade Saputo, scoring 10 goals in the process, including a 3-1 win there on Aug. 19, 2017, in the last matchup in Montréal.
  
• The home team has never lost in the all-time series. RSL won the first two meetings in Sandy, Utah, a 1-0 win in 2012, and a 3-1 win in 2014, before the last two draws.
  

Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m. ET

• The Union saw their six-game undefeated streak put to an end, falling 3-1 to the Portland Timbers at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening. The defeat also snapped the Union’s six-game undefeated streak on their home ground.
  
• The Rapids won a second consecutive game following an 11-game winless start to the season (matching the longest in MLS history), getting a late winner for a 3-2 victory against Columbus Crew at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday evening.
  
• Nicolas Mezquida scored the game-winning goal for the Rapids in the 89th minute, their third game-winning or game-tying goal after the 80th minute this season (from two wins and two draws on the year).
  
• The Rapids won the lone meeting between the teams a year ago, with Dominique Badji scoring a hat trick in a 3-0 win on March 31 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, ending a five-game winless streak in the series. They had last won in 2012, in Chester.
  
• The Union won the last meeting between the teams at Talen Energy Stadium, a 2-1 win on May 20, 2017, ending a streak of three consecutive draws in the series. The home team has won each of the last two matchups in the series, the first home wins since 2010.
  

D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire, 8 p.m. ET

• D.C. United had their winless streak extended to three games with a second draw in that time, concluding a three-game road run with a 1-1 result with the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening. United saw their away winless streak reach four games.
  
• The Fire had their three-game home winning streak put to an end but still ran their undefeated streak at SeatGeek Stadium to six matches, reaching a 1-1 draw with New York City FC on Saturday afternoon.
  
• The teams met twice a season ago, four weeks apart over the end of the campaign. D.C. United came from behind to claim a 2-1 win on Oct. 7 at Audi Field; the teams reached a scoreless draw on Decision Day (Oct. 28) in Bridgeview, Ill.
  
• The Fire are undefeated in the past four meetings at Toyota Park, with the teams reaching draws in three of those previous meetings.
  
• The Fire won both meetings in 2017, one at each ground, in the process putting an end to a nine-game United undefeated streak in the series from 2014-16.
  

Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy, 8:30 p.m. ET

• Sporting Kansas City put an end to a seven-game winless run – their longest in three seasons – in holding out for a 3-2 win against Seattle Sounders FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday evening. It was the club’s first victory since March 30.
  
• Johnny Russell scored all three goals in the SKC win vs. Seattle – his second hat trick in MLS (his first coming last April 20 in a 6-0 win vs. Vancouver). It was the second hat trick by an SKC player this season (Krisztian Nemeth, March 30 vs. Montréal).
  
• The Galaxy put an end to a four-game losing slide – matching their longest since 2017 – in defeating Orlando City SC by the game’s only goal at Orlando City Stadium on Friday evening.
  
• The teams met twice a season ago as Sporting continued their dominance in the series. SKC took a 2-0 win on April 8 in Carson; the teams then played to a 1-1 draw Oct. 6 at Children’s Mercy Park.
  
• Sporting KC have an eight-game undefeated streak alive against the Galaxy. The Galaxy’s last win vs. SKC came April 18, 2015, a 2-1 victory in Carson, Calif.
  
• The Galaxy have not won in Kansas City since 2007; Sporting have won five of their 11 home games since, with six draws. Sporting have won the past two meetings in Carson, coming away with points on their last three trips to face the Galaxy.
  

Friday, May 31
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Toronto FC, 10 p.m. ET (TSN)

• Whitecaps FC extended their undefeated run to three games with a first victory in four games, defeating FC Dallas 2-1 at BC Place on Saturday afternoon. Ali Adnan netted his first career goal in MLS, while Lucas Venuto scored his second.
  
• Toronto FC saw their winless streak extended to five games with a fourth loss in that span, falling 2-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes at BMO Field on Sunday evening. Richie Laryea scored his first career goal in MLS, in his fourth professional season.
  
• The visiting team has won the past four meetings in the league series between the clubs. Whitecaps FC won 2-1 last Oct. 6 at BMO Field in the only regular-season matchup between the teams; they also claimed a 4-3 win there on May 14, 2016. TFC won 2-0 March 18, 2017 at BC Place; they also won there 3-1 in 2015.
  
• The teams met in the final of the Canadian Championship a year ago, with TFC winning the title 7-4 on aggregate, including a 5-2 win in the second leg at BMO Field, as Jozy Altidore scored a hat trick. It was the second consecutive year the clubs met for the Canadian domestic title, the fourth time overall, and TFC have won all four. On three occasions (2011, 2012, 2018), the teams played to a first-leg draw in Vancouver; then, Toronto won the second leg at home.
  

Saturday, June 1
Montreal Impact vs. Orlando City SC, 5 p.m. ET (TSN, TVA Sports)

• Orlando City SC weren’t able to build upon a first win in five games, falling by the game’s only goal in a loss to the LA Galaxy at Orlando City Stadium on Friday evening.
  
• Saphir Taïder converted a penalty kick for his fourth goal of the season in the Impact’s 4-2 loss to Los Angeles FC at Banc of California Stadium, his first goal since March 30.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Ignacio Piatti scored goals early and late as the Impact eased to a 3-1 win on March 16 at Orlando City Stadium.
  
• The Impact have won the last three meetings between the teams, taking victories in the two matchups a season ago, both coming 10 days apart, without conceding a goal. The Impact took a 3-0 win on June 13 at Stade Saputo, then claimed a 2-0 victory on June 23 at Orlando City Stadium.
  
• The Impact are undefeated in the past six meetings between the clubs, with five wins in that span. The last OCSC victory in the series came Sept. 7, 2016, a 4-1 victory at Stade Saputo.
  

Atlanta United vs. Chicago Fire, 6 p.m. ET (UniMás)

• Pity Martínez collected his first MLS assist in Atlanta United’s 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Friday evening; he has a goal and an assist over the last three games.
  
• CJ Sapong netted his fifth goal of the season in the Fire’s 1-1 draw with New York City FC at SeatGeek Stadium, his first since April 20. Przemyslaw Frankowski added an assist; he has a goal and two assists over the last four games.
  
• Atlanta United won both meetings between the teams a year ago, each by a 2-1 scoreline, first May 5 in Bridgeview, then Oct. 21 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  
• The teams split their two meetings in Atlanta United’s inaugural season, each winning by shutout at home. Atlanta took a 4-0 win on March 18 at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and then the Fire returned the favor with a 2-0 win on June 10 in Bridgeview.
  

New York Red Bulls vs. Real Salt Lake, 7 p.m. ET

• The Red Bulls extended their undefeated run to four games with a third victory in that time, defeating FC Cincinnati 2-0 at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening. Omir Fernandez netted his first career goal in MLS, while Kaku scored his first of the year.
  
• Sebastian Saucedo scored for a second consecutive game in RSL’s 2-1 win against Atlanta United at Rio Tinto Stadium; he has two goals and an assist over that two-game stretch.
  
• Real won the lone meeting between the clubs a year ago, a 1-0 win on March 17 at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Red Bulls have never won in league play at Salt Lake. Real have won six of the 11 regular season meetings all-time in Utah, with five draws. But the Red Bulls did claim the Western Conference Championship there in 2008, a 1-0 victory.
  
• The teams played to a scoreless draw in their last meeting at Red Bull Arena on March 25, 2017. The result extended the Red Bulls’ home undefeated streak in the series to three games; RSL’s win in Harrison, N.J., in 2011 was the last by the road team in the series.
  

Columbus Crew SC vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET (TSN)

• Crew SC suffered a third consecutive defeat, their eighth loss in their last nine matches, falling 3-2 to the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday evening. Gyasi Zardes scored his fifth goal of the season, while Federico Higuaín added his fifth assist on the year.
  
• New York City have equaled their club record, now undefeated in their last eight games following a 1-1 draw with the Chicago Fire at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Alexandru Mitrita scored his third goal of the season for NYCFC’s lone tally.
  
• The teams split their two encounters a year ago, each winning on their home ground. NYCFC took a 2-0 win on July 14 at Yankee Stadium; Crew SC then claimed a 2-1 on Sept. 1 at Mapfre Stadium.
  
• The teams have evenly split their league series over the first four seasons NYCFC have been in the league, each winning three times, with three draws. NYCFC have won three of the four league meetings all-time at Yankee Stadium; they also met in 2017 at Citi Field in Queens in NYCFC’s home fixture, reaching a 2-2 draw. The lone road win in the series came at Mapfre Stadium, a 3-2 NYCFC victory there in 2016.
  
• The teams also met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2017, with Crew SC taking the series 4-3 on aggregate, winning the first leg at home 4-1, before NYCFC took the return match 2-0 in the Bronx.
  

D.C. United vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 8 p.m. ET

• Wayne Rooney scored for a second consecutive game in D.C. United’s 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening, his eighth goal of the season, now in third place in the MLS Golden Boot standings. Rooney has scored four goals in the last seven games, among United’s seven goals scored over that span.
  
• Chris Wondolowski netted both goals to lead the Quakes to a second consecutive win, a 2-1 victory against Toronto FC at BMO Field on Sunday evening. Wondolowski has six goals over the last two games, matching the MLS record for a two-game span (set three times previously), in reaching the 150-goal mark as the all-time goalscoring leader in MLS history.
  
• D.C. United won the lone meeting between the teams a year ago, a 3-1 win on May 19 at Avaya Stadium, their second consecutive win in the series.
  
• The teams are meeting for the first time at Audi Field. In the last encounter at RFK Stadium, United took an historic 4-0 win as Patrick Mullins scored four goals over a 31-minute span in the second half – the fastest four goals scored by a player in MLS history, and the first player in 5,031 MLS league matches to score four goals in a half.
  
• United have taken points on four of their last five visits to northern California, including wins on two of the last three. They won the last meeting between the teams at Buck Shaw Stadium, a 2-1 win in 2014; United’s win there in 2011 was their first on the road against San Jose since 1998.
  

FC Dallas vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 8 p.m. ET

• FC Dallas saw their winless streak extended to six games with a fourth loss in that time, falling 2-1 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on Saturday afternoon. Dominique Badji scored his second goal of the season; he has a goal and an assist in the last two matches.
  
• Sounders FC saw their six-game undefeated streak come to an end, falling 3-2 to Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday evening. Raúl Ruidíaz scored his fifth goal of the season, his second in the last three games, while Kelvin Leerdam scored his fourth goal and also added an assist.
  
• FC Dallas won the lone meeting between the teams in Frisco last year, a 3-0 win on March 18. FC Dallas have a six-game home undefeated streak in league play vs. Sounders FC, with four wins, and a nine-game home undefeated streak in the series in all competitions. Sounders FC last won in Frisco, Texas, on April 12, 2014.
  
• Sounders FC have won the past eight league meetings between the teams in Seattle, and nine of the 11 meetings there all-time, after their 2-1 win in the second meeting between the teams last year on Aug. 12. The only FCD win at CenturyLink Field came in 2011, a 1-0 victory on May 25.
  
• Over the past four seasons, Sounders FC have outscored FC Dallas 14-1 in four regular season meetings at CenturyLink Field. The FCD goal there last year ended a 460-minute goalless drought over all competitions in Seattle, including the 2016 Western Conference Semifinals, which marked a third consecutive year the teams met in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
  

Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET

• The Dynamo saw their brief two-game undefeated run come to an end, falling to Minnesota United FC by the game’s only goal at Allianz Field on Saturday evening. Of the Dynamo’s three losses this season, two have come by 1-0 scorelines.
  
• Yohan Croizet collected a pair of assists in SKC’s 3-2 win vs. Seattle, his first two assists this season and the first multiple-assist game of his MLS career.
  
• Sporting won both meetings between the teams a year ago. a 3-2 win on June 23 at Children’s Mercy Park, then a 1-0 win Aug. 4 at BBVA Compass Stadium.
  
• The win in the first meeting was Sporting’s first at home in the series since 2011, ending a seven-game winless streak at Children’s Mercy Park (0-1-6). The SKC win in Houston ended a three-game Dynamo home winning streak in the series.
  
• The teams have also met each of the past four years in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, each winning two, with the Dynamo taking a 4-2 home win in the quarterfinals last year.
  

Colorado Rapids vs. FC Cincinnati, 8:30 p.m. ET

• FC Cincinnati suffered a second consecutive defeat and a seventh in the last eight matches, falling 2-0 to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening.
  
• Jonathan Lewis netted his first goal with the Rapids, since coming over from New York City FC via trade, in Colorado’s 3-2 win vs. Columbus at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. It was his fourth career goal in MLS.
  
• The teams are meeting for the first time in their histories, the only league meeting this season.
  

Portland Timbers vs. Los Angeles Football Club, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, TSN)

• The Timbers concluded their 12-game road odyssey to open the season with a victory, defeating the Philadelphia Union 3-1 at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening. Brian Fernández scored a pair of goals, now with three goals from his first two MLS matches.
  
• LAFC stretched their current undefeated streak to seven games – their second seven-game unbeaten run this season – with a 4-2 win against the Montréal Impact at Banc of California Stadium on Friday evening.
  
• Carlos Vela scored a goal – his league-leading 15th of the season – and also added a pair of assists, now with nine for the year, also leading MLS. Vela has now scored in four consecutive games, also with four assists over that span, having played a part in eight of LAFC’s last 10 goals scored.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Carlos Vela netted one goal and set up two others as LAFC rolled to a 4-1 win, March 10 at Banc of California Stadium.
  
• The teams met twice in league play in LAFC’s inaugural season. The Timbers claimed a 2-1 win May 19 at Providence Park; the teams also reached a goalless draw July 15 at Banc of California Stadium. The teams also met in the U.S. Open Cup, LAFC winning the semifinal matchup 3-2 in Los Angeles.
  

Sunday, June 2
Minnesota United FC vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m. ET

• Romain Metanire netted his first career MLS goal, scoring the lone goal in MNUFC’s victory against the Houston Dynamo at Allianz Field. Jan Gregus collected his fourth assist, all coming over the last eight games.
  
• Kacper Pryzbylko netted his fourth goal of the season, the Union’s lone tally in their 3-1 loss to the Portland Timbers at Talen Energy Stadium. All four goals have come over the last six games, since April 27.
  
• The Union won the lone meeting between the teams a year ago, a dominant 5-1 victory on Oct. 6 at Talen Energy Stadium. The teams met once in MNUFC’s inaugural MLS season, reaching a 1-1 draw on Sept. 9, 2017, at TCF Bank Stadium.
  

LA Galaxy vs. New England Revolution, 10:30 p.m. ET

• The Revolution gained a third result from Mike Lapper’s third game in charge, reaching a 1-1 draw with D.C. United at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening. Juan Agudelo scored his third goal of the season, his second in the last three games.
  
• Jonathan dos Santos scored the Galaxy’s lone goal in their victory against Orlando City SC on Friday evening, the club’s first goal in three games. It was the second goal of the season for dos Santos, his first coming March 16.
  
• The Galaxy won the lone meeting between the teams a season ago, a 3-2 win on July 14 at Gillette Stadium, ending a three-game winless streak in the series in Foxborough. It was the first win by the road team in the series since 2012, when the Revolution won in Carson, Calif.
  
• The Galaxy won 4-2 in the last meeting in Carson, on May 8, 2016, their second consecutive win at home in the league series. The winning team has hit for three goals or more in six of the last seven meetings between the teams.
  
• The teams have also met three times in the MLS Cup final, the Galaxy winning all three, all in extra time (2002 at Gillette Stadium; 2005 in Frisco, Texas; 2014 at Dignity Health Sports Park).