The Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers will be squaring off for the fourth time this year. This will be the third and final MLS match between the two this year unless they face each other in the 2015 MLS Playoffs.

Doing something similar that we have done in the past, we reached out to Matt Pentz of the Seattle Times and Jamie Goldberg from The Oregonian. These two cover the respective MLS teams throughout the year.

We asked the two a series of questions ahead of this Cascadia matchup this Sunday at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. The game will be nationally televised and can been seen on ESPN with kickoff scheduled for 2:00pm PST.

VAVEL USA: The Sounders signed a lot of new players during the last transfer window and even snuck in a surprise with Roman Torres. How do you think the new players, mainly Torres and Nelson Valdez, will factor in this game?  What does Portland need to do to contain those two players?

Jaime Goldberg: Seattle has a very talented lineup and clearly made some big moves this summer. I think the Timbers are going to have to be aware of the new faces on the field for Seattle, but I think the key for the Timbers is to focus on themselves. Portland has been good on defense for the most part this season, but has had some very poor outings as well. It is going to be important for the Timbers to stay defensive-minded and try to limit Seattle's chances on goal. I would expect that the Timbers will sit a little bit deeper in this game and absorb a bit more since they are on the road and they are well aware of how dangerous Seattle's attack can be. 

Matt Pentz: Torres will provide the Timbers from loading up on Obafemi Martins to try to mark one forward out of the game. The importance of having multiple scoring options has been underlined during Seattle's summer of toil, and Valdez and Martins both have the quality to change this game in an instant. I think Roman Torres will be less of a factor, if only because much of this match will be played in Portland's half. I don't expect Seattle's back line to face much steady pressure -- just the occasional counter -- though Torres' set piece threat could be a wild card.

VAVEL: The Timbers let Gaston Fernandez go back home and in the process brought in Lucas Melano.  What do the Sounders need to do to keep him and Fanendo Adi off the board? Adi killed the Sounders back in June with his brace in two minutes.  Do you think Caleb Porter would ever consider using two forwards? It might make them even more dangerous.

JG: I doubt we'll see the Timbers change their formation. If the Timbers were to go to a 4-4-2, then they would have to move Diego Valeri out to the wing and that's something that it sounds like Caleb Porter doesn't want to do. I think it's quite possible though, that the Timbers will start Adi up top in the No. 9 position and move Melano out to the wing. Melano is quickly adjusting to the Timbers' lineup and will bring speed and a knack for getting behind opposing defenses to the field. Adi's hold up play could also be an asset to the Timbers in this game. Seattle will definitely have to focus on preventing Adi and Melano from getting too many chances on Sunday. 

VAVEL: The Sounders have a lot of injuries and are missing Osvaldo Alonso, Andreas Ivanschitz and Clint Dempsey. It doesn’t sound like Andreas will be ready anytime soon. How close are Alonso and Dempsey to returning and is there a possibility they could play this Sunday?

MP: While there is a chance that both Dempsey and Alonso can return for Sunday's match, I'd list them both as doubtful. Sigi Schmid will maintain the threat for as long as he can, but both have remained limited in training and are probably, at best, potential bench guys.

VAVEL: The Timbers have a solid midfield and have killed the Sounders in the past with Diego Valeri, Diego Chara and Will Johnson. Chara won’t play this time after his red card he got against the Houston Dynamo. Who slides into his position and what do the Sounders need to do to slow them down?

JG: I expect that Jack Jewsbury will replace Chara in the lineup. I think with Will Johnson and Jewsbury in the lineup, the Timbers will play a bit more defensively in their midfield. Diego Valeri will still be a key attacking piece for the Timbers, but I wouldn't expect Johnson or Jewsbury to get up in the attack as much as Portland's defensive midfielders sometimes do. I think the key for the Sounders will be slowing down Portland's front four, including Valeri, Darlington Nagbe, Lucas Melano and possibly Fanendo Adi. 

MP: The loss of Chara will be felt, especially if Portland is content to sit back the way it did during the first matchup of the season at CenturyLink. He's vital in providing cover for the back line, and no other Timber is as effective in that role. Darlington Nagbe will be the Portland attacker to watch on Sunday. He always seems to give the Sounders defense fits and raise his game for the big ones. Given too much space on the break, Nagbe could be the difference-maker.

VAVEL: Would love to have you two throw out the formation and players you feel that will start this game on Sunday.

JG: My guess is that the Timbers will stick with a 4-2-3-1 formation and my prediction for the lineup is: Kwarasey, Powell, Borchers, Ridgewell, Villafana, Johnson, Jewsbury, Valeri, Nagbe, Melano, Adi. 

MP: I think Seattle will slot into its typical 4-4-2: Frei; Mears, Torres, Marshall, Fisher; Neagle, Evans, Friberg, Rose; Valdez, Martins. Only question marks are on the wing, with most of the options having made the trip to Honduras.

VAVEL USA would like to thank both Jamie and Matt for taking time out of their busy schedules to answers these questions for us.