St. Louis City II vs Portland Timbers II Prediction: Key Stats and Betting Tips

St. Louis City II welcome Portland Timbers II to CITYPARK on 18 July 2026 in a high-stakes MLS Next Pro Group Stage clash between two sides firmly in the playoff picture. The hosts sit on 29 points from 18 matches, while the visitors arrive with 34 points from the same number of games and one of the strongest away records in the competition.

In the Frontier Division, St. Louis City II are 4th, and they are also 7th in the Eastern Conference, in position for the MLS Next Pro Play Offs (1/8-finals). Portland Timbers II top the Pacific Division and are 3rd in the Eastern Conference, also tracking toward the postseason. With both teams having played 18 times and drawing none, this fixture shapes up as a decisive test for their playoff credentials and a key reference for MLS Next Pro predictions around this matchup.

Previous meetings between St. Louis City II and Portland Timbers II in MLS Next Pro have often produced goals and drama, including a 6-3 thriller at CITYPARK and a penalty shootout decider. That history, combined with Portland’s excellent clean-sheet record and St. Louis’ attacking volatility, makes this one of the standout MLS Next Pro fixtures on the calendar.

St. Louis City II vs Portland Timbers II Key Stats

• St. Louis City II have 29 points from 18 matches (10 wins, 8 losses, 0 draws) with a 29-30 goal record in league standings.
• The last meeting on 5 October 2025 at Providence Park ended Portland Timbers II 2-1 St. Louis City II in MLS Next Pro.
• Across the 2026 MLS Next Pro season statistics, Portland Timbers II have kept 9 clean sheets in 18 matches, compared to 4 for St. Louis City II.

St. Louis City II vs Portland Timbers II — Tale of the Tape

• Position: 4 vs 1 (division ranks: St. Louis City II in Frontier Division, Portland Timbers II in Pacific Division)
• Points: 29 vs 34
• Goals For: 29 vs 23 (standings overall)
• Goals Against: 30 vs 22 (standings overall)
• Clean Sheets: St. Louis City II 4 vs Portland Timbers II 9 (season statistics)

Standings underline how fine the margins are. St. Louis City II have 10 wins and 8 defeats with no draws, scoring 29 and conceding 30 over 18 games. Portland Timbers II have 11 wins and 7 defeats, with a tighter 23-22 goal balance. The visitors have five more points despite scoring fewer goals, reflecting a more controlled defensive profile.

At home, St. Louis City II have been strong in the standings: 6 wins and 2 losses from 8 home matches, with 16 goals scored and 11 conceded. Portland Timbers II, however, boast an outstanding away record in the table: 7 wins and 2 losses from 9 away games, scoring 11 and conceding only 9. Add in the season statistics showing Portland with 9 clean sheets (7 away) and a lower goals-against average (1.4 per match vs St. Louis’ 1.8), and the visitors look slightly better balanced overall despite St. Louis’ higher total goals scored.

St. Louis City II Key Matchups

St. Louis City II attack vs Colin Griffith

Player-level attacking data is limited on the St. Louis City II side, but team metrics show they average 1.8 goals per game across 18 fixtures, with particularly strong home output at 2.3 goals per match. They have produced big wins up to 4-0 at home and 3 goals away in their best attacking performances.

For Portland Timbers II, Colin Griffith stands out in the league’s top lists for scorers, assists, yellow cards and red cards, underlining his importance in their attacking structure even if his raw numbers are modest so far. In MLS Next Pro 2026, he has made 1 appearance as a forward, with 0 goals and 0 assists and no cards. While the sample is small, his presence in these leaderboards signals he is a focal point in the squad’s plans. The battle between St. Louis’ collective attacking threat and Griffith spearheading Portland’s forward line will be central to how much territory and pressure the visitors can absorb before countering.

Midfield control: St. Louis City II engine room vs Portland Timbers II press

Again, individual midfield statistics are not broken out, but team-level data paints a clear picture. St. Louis City II’s league statistics show they average 1.8 goals for and 1.8 against, with their goals conceded heavily clustered between minutes 61–75, where a significant share of their goals conceded arrive. Portland Timbers II, by contrast, concede 1.4 goals per game, with key concessions spread more evenly, but they are particularly vulnerable late in halves (notably 16–30 and 76–90 minutes).

This points to a midfield battle in which Portland’s structure and pressing aim to keep games under control and lean on their ability to see out tight matches — reflected in 9 clean sheets and just 9 goals conceded in 9 away fixtures. St. Louis’ midfield will need to manage game states better in the final half hour, where they have been punished repeatedly, especially if they chase the game against a well-organised Portland side.

Head-to-Head: Last Meetings

Recent clashes between St. Louis City II and Portland Timbers II in MLS Next Pro have been high-scoring and often decisive, with CITYPARK hosting several goal-laden encounters and Providence Park producing its own drama, including a recent home win for Portland.

• 5 October 2025: Portland Timbers II 2-1 St. Louis City II (MLS Next Pro)
• 24 May 2025: St. Louis City II 6-3 Portland Timbers II (MLS Next Pro)
• 7 April 2024: St. Louis City II 1-1 Portland Timbers II, 5-3 on penalties (MLS Next Pro)
• 19 August 2023: St. Louis City II 4-1 Portland Timbers II (MLS Next Pro)
• 26 May 2023: Portland Timbers II 1-2 St. Louis City II (MLS Next Pro)

St. Louis City II vs Portland Timbers II Prediction

Form indicators lean toward Portland Timbers II. Over their last five matches, they have scored 8 and conceded 7, with a “form” index of 60, while St. Louis City II have 5 scored and 13 conceded in the same span, with a form index of 20. Comparison metrics rate Portland higher in form (75 vs 25), attack (62 vs 38) and defense (65 vs 35), with a slight overall edge in the total index (52.8 vs 47.2).

However, head-to-head comparison still favours St. Louis City II (h2h index 71 vs 29), largely due to their strong historical record at CITYPARK, including big wins and a penalty shootout success. St. Louis also score freely at home (2.3 goals per game), but their defensive fragility — especially after the hour mark — is a concern against a disciplined Portland team that travels exceptionally well and keeps clean sheets regularly.

Probability estimates for this fixture give Portland Timbers II and the draw equal top billing at 45 out of 100 each, with St. Louis City II only 10 out of 100 to win outright. That aligns with the “double chance: draw or Portland Timbers II” recommendation and reflects how the market and models see the visitors as at least avoiding defeat. Given Portland’s away solidity and St. Louis’ attacking output at home, a tight, relatively low-scoring draw or narrow away win looks most likely.

Predicted Score: St. Louis City II 1-1 Portland Timbers II

St. Louis City II Recent Form

In the conference standings, St. Louis City II’s recent form string reads “LLLLWO”, pointing to a difficult run with a series of defeats punctuated only recently by a win and another positive result. Over the full 18-match season statistics, their broader form pattern is streaky: they previously put together a long winning sequence before suffering a run of losses. They average 1.8 goals scored and 1.8 conceded per game, with no draws, underlining their boom-or-bust profile.

Portland Timbers II Recent Form

Portland Timbers II’s standings form is “WOWLWL”, a mixed but generally positive run that still keeps them near the top of both their division and conference. Over 18 matches, their extended form line shows alternating short winning and losing streaks, but their last five fixtures are stronger than St. Louis City II’s: 8 goals scored, 7 conceded, and a better balance between attack and defense. Their ability to grind out clean sheets — especially away — has underpinned their rise to 1st in the Pacific Division and 3rd in the Eastern Conference.

St. Louis City II Possible Starting Lineup

With no confirmed lineups for this fixture, a projected core group of key players for St. Louis City II could include:

Goalkeepers: B. Lundt, P. Francis, N. Martinez
Defenders: K. Hiebert, L. MacNaughton, M. Fall, F. Fall, S. Paris, T. Totland, A. De Gannes
Midfielders: E. Löwen, T. Ostrák, M. Perez, J. Wagoner, A. Gbadehan, C. Pearson
Forwards: Jeong Sang-Bin, P. Ault, J. Barclay, C. Forcellini, Brendan McSorley

St. Louis City II have depth across the back line and in midfield, with experienced options like E. Löwen and T. Ostrák capable of controlling tempo and providing creativity. In attack, Jeong Sang-Bin and Brendan McSorley offer pace and finishing, supported by versatile forwards such as P. Ault and C. Forcellini. Tactically, they are likely to set up in an aggressive, front-foot system at CITYPARK, but their defensive record — 32 goals conceded in 18 matches in the season statistics — suggests they must be more compact, especially in the final 30 minutes where they concede a significant share of goals.

Portland Timbers II Possible Starting Lineup

Portland Timbers II also have no confirmed XI listed, but key personnel can be identified:

Goalkeepers: H. Sulte, S. Joseph
Defenders: B. Alex, C. Ferguson, S. Jura, N. Lund, Charles Ondo, M. Nystrom
Midfielders: C. Cruthers, V. Enriquez, Lucas Fernandez-Kim, M. Kissel, B. VanVoorhis, N. Zendejas
Forwards: Colin Griffith, Andrew Guerra, Daniel Xavier Cervantes Michel, B. Barjolo, N. Santos

Portland’s squad structure supports a balanced approach, with a solid defensive core and a midfield unit that can both press and recycle possession. The presence of Colin Griffith, highlighted across several league leaderboards, and forwards like Andrew Guerra and Daniel Xavier Cervantes Michel gives them multiple attacking outlets. Their season statistics — 25 goals scored, 25 conceded, and 9 clean sheets — indicate a side comfortable in tight games, especially on the road where they have 7 wins from 9. Expect a compact shape, quick transitions, and an emphasis on game management.

St. Louis City II Team News

No significant absences reported.

Portland Timbers II Team News

No significant absences reported.

Injuries & Suspensions

St. Louis City II:

• None reported.

Portland Timbers II:

• None reported.

Betting Tips: St. Louis City II vs Portland Timbers II

Below are three data-driven betting angles for this MLS Next Pro clash:

• Result Tip: Double chance – draw or Portland Timbers II. With win probabilities estimated at 10 out of 100 for St. Louis City II, 45 out of 100 for the draw, and 45 out of 100 for Portland Timbers II, combined with Portland’s superior recent form and outstanding away record (7 wins in 9), backing the visitors to avoid defeat is the most logical results-based play.
• Goals Tip: Under 3.5 total goals. Season statistics show St. Louis City II matches have gone over 2.5 goals only 5 times in 18 games, and over 3.5 just once. Portland Timbers II have only 2 matches over 2.5 goals and none over 3.5 in 18 fixtures. Despite some high-scoring H2H outliers, the current season profiles point strongly toward a relatively tight, lower-scoring contest.
• Value Tip: Portland Timbers II clean sheet – No (St. Louis City II to score at least once). Portland’s defensive numbers are excellent (9 clean sheets, just 9 goals conceded away), but St. Louis City II average 2.3 goals per game at home in the standings and have scored in 15 of 18 matches in the season statistics (failed to score only 3 times). Given St. Louis’ attacking volume at CITYPARK, backing the hosts to find the net at least once against a favored Portland side offers an appealing value angle.

Odds are accurate at the time of writing and subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.