Minnesota United v Portland Timbers: Ramsay seeking cup final mentality to clinch top spot - Soccer News

[ad_1] Minnesota United boss Eric Ramsay has urged his group to deal with their ultimate six MLS fixtures like cup finals as they eye a spot on the Western Convention summit.

Ramsay watched on as his aspect earned a 3-1 win over Actual Salt Lake final trip, shifting them inside three factors of leaders San Diego FC, who've already sealed their place within the playoffs.

The Loons know a victory over the Portland Timbers this weekend will affirm their spot within the postseason, with beneficial league fixtures to come back of their ultimate 5 MLS matches.

And Ramsay revealed he has instilled perception in his gamers that they'll go on to carry trophies, insisting that his aspect are aiming to complete on the prime of the pile within the West.

“We speak about profitable trophies as a result of we're positioned to take action, and we've been positioned to take action for some time,” Ramsay mentioned. “It’s an bold group. I’m an bold coach.

“It is a scenario that we've to try to reap the benefits of as a membership. It’s not a scenario when you think about the place we're within the desk and the Open Cup you're in yearly.

“It’s actually tough to come back by way of a scenario like this and we've accomplished a extremely good job getting ourselves on this place. Now we have to be sure that we deal with each recreation between now and the top of the season as a cup ultimate, and we are going to see the place that takes us.

“We're actually motivated to take that spot above us now. Now we have a bunch of gamers who're actually motivated to take that spot, and we are going to see what occurs over the course of the following six big video games for us within the MLS.”

cleansing up from final night time pic.twitter.com/mL4xbjaQKS

— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) August 24, 2025

Minnesota’s cost to the summit was helped by this weekend’s opponents Portland, who held San Diego to a goalless draw at Snapdragon Stadium final trip.

The Timbers themselves are within the midst of a playoff battle of their very own, sitting sixth within the Western Convention regardless of failing to win their final three league video games.

Portland tackle Minnesota simply over a month after their 1-1 draw at Windfall Park, and Timbers boss Phil Neville highlighted the areas his group should management to cease the Loons.

“By way of recreation plans, we're going to be as disciplined and as tactically conscious as we have been within the final recreation,” he mentioned. “I feel after we final performed Minnesota we performed nicely.

“We noticed what they have been about. Good deliveries from set-plays. They recruited nicely and the profile of gamers they've. You might be in all probability defending in opposition to six gamers who're over six-foot-one, six-foot-two.

“They've peak and physicality, which is a matter. We're going to preserve the ball in play, and we're going to try to not make any unnecessary fouls in our personal half.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Minnesota United – Robin Lod

Lod has been in spectacular kind for Minnesota, along with his aim contribution tally of seven solely bettered by Kelvin Yeboah (9), Joaquin Pereya (10) and Tani Oluwaseyi (17) for the Loons.

He recorded a aim and an help in Minnesota’s conquer Actual Salte Lake. It was Lod’s sixth such regular-season recreation, two greater than every other participant within the membership’s historical past within the MLS.

Portland Timbers – Felipe Carballo

Having seen the New York Crimson Bulls not renew his mortgage deal, Carballo made an immediate affect on his first outing for Portland, regardless of not getting on the scoresheet.

Certainly, no Timbers participant created extra possibilities than Carballo (three) of their goalless draw with San Diego, and he shall be eager to make his mark once more right here.

MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA UNITED WIN

Minnesota have by no means misplaced a house match in opposition to Portland, profitable seven of the earlier eight conferences within the Twin Cities (D1) regardless of the Timbers scoring in all however a type of matches.

The Loons have additionally collected 23 factors over their final 12 matches (W7 D2 L3), together with profitable their final two regular-season contests. Solely San Diego (26 factors) and Charlotte FC (25 factors) have collected extra since that run started on matchday 17.

Portland, in the meantime, performed out a scoreless draw at San Diego final trip, the sixth time the Timbers failed to attain of their final eight away matches in all competitions. They've simply two away objectives in that point, a run that dates to mid-Might.