Portland Timbers vs New England Revolution Picks and Predictions July 5th 2025

Caleb Porter Returns to Portland as Revolution Face Timbers

Caleb Porter is set for an emotional return to Providence Park on Saturday night as he leads the New England Revolution against his former club, the Portland Timbers, in a key interconference showdown.

See how top MLS experts are betting ahead of this intriguing matchup.

Porter guided the Timbers from 2013 to 2017, capturing the MLS Cup title in 2015. Now in his second season with New England, he finally returns to face his former club after years of schedule quirks kept him away.

“Crazy that the schedule has not fallen where I have had a game there,” Porter said. “The nostalgia of my time there will make it a little bit different in that regard.”

He added that his departure from Portland was less about friction and more about seeking new horizons.

“It just felt like it was time for a new challenge,” he said. “I have nothing but fond memories and nothing but respect for the club, the owner, the fans, and the players that I coached there.”

The Revolution (6-6-6, 24 points) enter Saturday’s contest in 11th place in the East after a dramatic 3-3 comeback draw against Colorado last week. Carles Gil leads the team with seven goals, including a penalty conversion in that match.

New England has been impressive away from home, riding a seven-match road unbeaten streak (4-0-3). But they’ll face a stiff challenge against a Portland team that hasn’t lost at home since February 23, going 5-0-4 in its last nine at Providence Park.

Portland (8-5-6, 30 points) is currently fourth in the Western Conference despite a disappointing 3-0 loss to Toronto FC last weekend. The Timbers were shut out and failed to register a shot on target.

“It was difficult for us to create opportunities,” Portland veteran Diego Chara admitted. “We lost too many balls in that area of the field.”

David Da Costa, recently named to the MLS All-Star team, also struggled in that loss, as Toronto’s midfield pressure effectively neutralized Portland’s playmakers.

Portland will again be without leading scorer Antony (six goals), who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Felipe Mora and Kevin Kelsy have stepped up, each netting five goals this season.

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The club also made a move this week, transferring defender Claudio Bravo to Argentinos Juniors. Bravo made over 100 appearances in Portland and contributed two goals in four-plus MLS seasons.

With the Revolution heating up on the road and the Timbers defending their fortress, bettors can find strong value by consulting MLS game predictions and picks to assess momentum, injuries, and tactical matchups.

Explore detailed MLS betting previews for this weekend’s fixtures.