St Louis City Sc vs Portland Timbers Picks and Predictions July 13th 2025

St. Louis City Eager for Payback in Home Clash vs. Portland

Though St. Louis City SC has endured a difficult MLS campaign, interim coach David Critchley believes his squad has something to prove Sunday night when they host the Portland Timbers in a rematch of a heartbreaker earlier this season. After letting a 1-0 lead slip away in Portland on June 8, St. Louis is hoping to flip the script at home.

The loss in Oregon was especially painful. After leading into the second half, St. Louis conceded the equalizer in the 55th minute and then gave up the game-winner to David Ayala in stoppage time. Despite the result, Critchley saw real progress in the team’s performance and has called that match one of the more complete showings from his squad this season.

Back in front of their home fans, and with a productive week of training under their belt, St. Louis is seeking a spark to break free from a lengthy slump. For deeper analysis on rematch value plays and home vs. road form trends, review our latest MLS expert guide.

Lowen’s Return Provides Emotional Boost

One potential catalyst for St. Louis is the expected return of influential midfielder Eduard Löwen, who has missed over a month due to a hamstring injury. Löwen, who has also spent time away to be with his wife during her fight with stage 4 brain cancer, brings more than just tactical quality—he provides leadership and emotional fuel to a team that’s lacked identity since early spring.

St. Louis (3-12-6, 15 points) has not won a match in league play since mid-March and currently sits 14th in the Western Conference. A playoff run feels out of reach, but with Löwen back and Critchley looking to steady the ship, the focus now shifts to building momentum and salvaging pride in the second half.

Track live line movement and injury impact using our real-time MLS odds and scores page.

Timbers Looking to Stay Hot in Tight Western Race

Portland enters Sunday’s match in much better form. Sitting fourth in the West with a 9-5-6 record, the Timbers are coming off a 2-1 win over the New England Revolution on July 5, a bounce-back performance following a lopsided defeat at Toronto. Midfielder David Da Costa, who leads the team in assists, delivered the game-winner—just his third goal of the season despite consistent playmaking.

Head coach Phil Neville was clear during the week that he expects Da Costa to shoulder more of the goal-scoring load. In Neville’s words, that’s the price of being the club’s marquee player.

Da Costa’s strike was a response to that challenge, and his leadership will be critical as Portland looks to strengthen their position in a congested playoff race. For more betting perspectives on Da Costa and other MLS props, check out our updated soccer picks section.

Rematch History and What’s at Stake

The Timbers hold a slight edge in the all-time series against St. Louis, with two wins, one loss, and two draws. That includes a 1-0-1 record at Providence Park. Sunday’s matchup, however, gives St. Louis a shot at revenge—and perhaps their best chance in weeks to secure a morale-boosting result at home.

For Portland, it’s about consistency and separating from the crowded Western pack. For St. Louis, it’s about pride, recovery, and progress under a new coaching voice. That tension makes this rematch a compelling part of the weekend MLS slate.