The Portland Timbers welcome the New England Revolution to JELD-WEN Field Thursday evening (7:30 PM, ROOT Sports), the home side looking to extend a six match unbeaten run against a Revs squad revitalized after a much needed 2-nil win over the Philadelphia Union last weekend.

While manager Jay Heaps’ team impressed while downing the Union at home, Caleb Porter’s side are the talk of the league after storming out of Sporting Kansas City with a 3-2 win on the road in their last league contest.

Down twice in the first half, goals from Ryan Johnson and Darlington Nagbe leveled the tie before the break, then put SKC to the sword via a second half Rodney Wallace winner.

Playing at one of the league’s more intimidating venues in terms of atmosphere and home team winning percentage, the Timbers tally of three goals to earn three points was a rare occurrence for the denizens of Sporting Park to suffer.

Now back in the comfortable confines of their home ground, a surging Portland are eager to show their run of form is the real deal in front of the Timbers Army.

If New England are hopeful of emulating Portland’s recent success, the similar attacking approach adopted in their latest victory may be the blueprint.

The offensive-minded trio of Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe, and Diego Fagundez were at their level best in that triumph. Nguyen deftly set up Rowe to square to Fagundez for the opening goal, then Nguyen later capitalized on a rebounded save to double the Revolution’s advantage.

Perhaps more notable for New England is notching their fourth clean sheet in seven matches this season, understudy netminder Bobby Shuttleworth ably providing two shutouts while standing in for veteran Matt Reis. Heaps is like to stand pat with Shuttleworth after Reis’s last visit to Portland in 2011 ended in a 3-nil defeat.

The solid defending is a surprise given the threadbare makeup of the Revolution backline, one already decimated by injury further diminished by the suspension of Chris Tierney.

Darrius Barnes, Jose Goncalves, and Stephen McCarthy will see their stability tested by the Timbers, the midfield pairing of Diego Valeri and Diego Chara looming large behind three strikers that each scored last time out.

The forward movement of Rowe and Nguyen will be kept in check by Portland captain Will Johnson, who will alternate with Chara to clog the space in front of the Timbers back four.

The news that the injury that forced off Mamadou ‘Futty’ Danso against Kansas City was not severe is surely pleasing in Portland, the Gambian poised for a fourth straight start alongside Mikael Silvestre.

Another factor for the Revs to consider is Michael Harrington, the outside back proving capable on either side of the pitch with Jack Jewsbury also displaying the versatility to man the left or right flank. The attacking nature of Portland’s fullbacks means more responsibility is required of Fagundez and Ryan Guy to help Kalifa Cisse close the gaps in the middle third of the field.

Up top for the Revolution finds Honduran Jerry Bengston penciled in as a solitary striker, while Portland native Chad Barrett is hopeful of full recovery from a hamstring strain to offer New England another option to lead the line.

Another threat for the visitors is Saer Sene, the French striker best known in Portland for scoring a mere 28 seconds into the Revs’ 1-nil win in the two teams sole encounter last season.

While that goal was even faster than the early concession from Portland against Sporting, the reactions were polar opposites, the inept finishing of 2012 now a thing of the past with this year’s Timbers a goal shy of leading the league in scoring.

Fresh off a midweek local friendly against a once little known club, the high scoring affair versus the Green Machine has the Portland faithful upbeat about the team’s chances against a Revolution side still trying to turn into a consistently winning side.

For Porter and the Timbers, the challenge is to not slip on the banana peel an opponent like New England represents, a young team with little to lose in a match the Timbers are expected to win, high praise for a team still evolving itself after a disastrous season past.

Although Portland’s style is receiving deserved plaudits, the vulnerability on set pieces is a concern not to be overlooked, nor is the reliance on resilience to collect points.

Sometimes it is as simple as outscoring the opposition, but the Timbers must resist the temptation to ride their luck, the late goal conceded to drop points at San Jose in the prior contest serving as a recent and raw reminder.

The Portland Timbers travel to take on Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park Saturday night (5:30 PM, KPDX), an encounter of two teams eager to move on from disappointing results in their previous outings.

A spirited performance in San Jose was undone when a late Earthquakes equalizer denied Portland a first road win of the season, while Sporting capitulated in a 2-nil loss at the Los Angeles Galaxy, their second defeat of the season.

After the setback at San Jose, Portland head coach Caleb Porter must now prepare his squad to play a side that mirrors the high pressure, possession based style he’s instilled in his brief tenure as Timbers manager.

Opposite the MLS coaching neophyte is the veteran presence of Peter Vermes, the SKC manager who deemed now Portland defensive stalwarts Michael Harrington and club captain surplus to requirements at their former club.

Sporting’s loss is Portland’s gain in both players, Jewsbury’s conversion from midfield to right back opposite Harrington on the left provides the most surefooted pair of outside defenders seen in the club’s third year in MLS.

In between the flanks is a pairing that is growing more comfortable, the journey of Mamadou ‘Futty’ Danso making the leap from the second division to America’s top flight in marked contrast to that of his fellow centerback, the unparalleled European and international experience of Mikael Silvestre.

The back four of the Timbers will need to be more alert than they were at the end of their last match, the threat posed by SKC’s new Designated Player Mario Bieler a very real one. The Argentine is scoring at a rate of a goal every other game with four tallies in eight appearances, two of those matchwinners.

The Timbers boast an impressive Argentinian star of their own, Diego Valeri notching his second goal of the season at San Jose to help Portland stay undefeated on their excursions away from home. Surprisingly, it is another South American that leads the Timbers in a capacity Valeri was meant to fulfill, Colombian Diego Chara’s industriousness matched by improved production with two assists to date.

While Chara helps relieve pressure for Valeri, the offensive load is well balanced throughout the team so far. Striker Will Johnson’s team leading three goals is matched by captain Will Johnson’s haul as both are also credited with an assist, and a goal and assist from Darlington Nagbe illustrates the depth of attacking options at Porter’s disposal.

Opposing Portland’s forward thinking is the stern backline of SKC, Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic dangerous going forward on the wings with Aurelien Collin and Matt Besler the central anchors in front of Danish netminder Jimmy Nielsen, who leads the league in average goals against and shutouts with only five goals conceded in eight matches, five of those clean sheets.

Donovan Ricketts saw his own modest streak of shutouts ended with the late concession last week, yet the Jamaican’s stellar shot-stopping ability is sure to be called upon again after earning Save of the Week honors for a third time this year.

Whether Bieler can test Portland’s goalkeeper comes down to the effectiveness of Sporting’s dynamic midfield duo of Graham Zusi and Benny Feilhalber, the latter settling in with two assists while the former continues to deliver with two goals and three assists to his name already this campaign.

Both of these attack minded midfielders benefit from the defensive midfield duties ably carried out by Oriol Rosell, the Spaniard’s composed performances evidence of his training at FC Barcelona’s La Masia academy.

After Omar Bravo departed in the offseason, Kei Kamara went out on loan to England’s Norwich City, and Teal Bunbury endured knee surgery, the ample supply of available minutes afforded up top for CJ Sapong indicated the third year player was on the verge of a breakout season after improving on Rookie of the Year honors in 2011 with a career best nine goals in 2012.

One assist and zero goals is a letdown for a player with Sapong’s ability, failure to find the back of the net a heavy burden on the striker’s psyche. Back home for the first of three consecutive matches, however, expect Sapong to play with resumed confidence in front of the raucous supporters groups collectively dubbed the KC Cauldron.

Portland enter the fray in Kansas City for a second straight match on the road, earning points imperative as the Timbers face a run of five of the next seven matches away from home. To find success, Porter’s charges must find a way to impose their game plan on the weekend’s hosts first or find themselves on the back foot.

If the last two matches against San Jose were a bit choppy, expect a more fluid engagement between two clubs aiming to play the prettier soccer, the biggest challenge coming by way of the possession battle, both teams capable of harrying the opposition to create turnovers that quickly become counterattacks.

A win for Portland would put them only one point behind East leading Sporting, with a game in hand to boot.

Following a demoralizing draw, the true test of the Timbers mettle comes in their reaction in the next match. If Porter’s preparation is right Portland can maintain their impressive turnaround from a year ago, when losing away was practically a foregone conclusion.