May 19, 2012
MLS SUNDAY
A look at the upcoming game

Chicago Fire (4-2-3, 15 pts) @ Portland Timbers (2-5-3, 9 pts), 6:00 pm CT (Galavision, ROOT)
The Chicago Fire are one of only three teams in MLS – and the only one in the Eastern Conference – to have only two losses, but they will be looking for their first-ever points against the Portland Timbers Sunday at Jeld-Wen Field. The Fire have been nothing if not resilient this season, snatching points in the final minutes repeatedly over the past month. Last Saturday, Dominic Oduro scored in the 81st minute to snatch a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City. Marco Pappa connected in stoppage time for a 2-1 win over Chivas USA on May 4. The Timbers might be a little leg-weary after Tuesday’s hard-fought scoreless road draw with Houston. Goalkeeper Troy Perkins matched the club record with seven saves for the clean sheet, including point-blank stops on Jermaine Taylor and Brian Ching in the final three minutes of the match. It was the Timbers’ third defensive shutout in four matches. Solid defense has helped the Timbers weather a severe offensive drought. The team hasn’t scored a goal on its own since April 14, in a 3-1 loss to the LA Galaxy. The lone goal in their last win, 1-0 over Kansas City on April 28, came in the form of an own goal by Sporting defender Chance Meyers.