{"id":31437,"date":"2026-08-12T17:58:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T21:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/?post_type=news&p=31437"},"modified":"2026-08-12T17:58:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T21:58:03","slug":"match-preview-chicago-fire-vs-portland-timbers-08-16-26-mls","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/news\/mls\/match-preview-chicago-fire-vs-portland-timbers-08-16-26-mls\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Fire vs Portland Timbers: Predictions, Picks, Odds & Lineups"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chicago Fire<\/a> host Portland Timbers<\/a> at Soldier Field on Sunday, August 16 (6:00 PM ET \/ 5:00 PM CT \/ 3:00 PM PT).<\/p>\n

Chicago Fire have a clean bill of health for this one, with Philip Zinckernagel pulling the attacking strings after a five-goal season and Maren Haile-Selassie and Robin Lod both in the frame after contributing three goals apiece. Portland Timbers travel with their own spine largely intact \u2014 Kevin Kelsy leads the line on 9 goals from 993 minutes, with Kristoffer Velde supplying the service having created 35 chances of his own.<\/p>\n

This is a game shaped by the table: Chicago sit fourth in the East on 29 points, firmly in the playoff picture<\/a>, while Portland occupy eighth in the West on 24 points and need results to keep pace. That gap should tell in a tight game at Soldier Field, with Chicago’s attacking spread through Zinckernagel, Haile-Selassie and Lod set against a Portland side who lean on Kelsy’s goals and Velde’s chance creation to stay in matches.<\/p>\n

US viewers can watch Chicago Fire vs Portland Timbers on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass.<\/p>\n\n\n