Phil Neville is relishing the new MLS campaign, as he looks for his new-look Portland Timbers side to build on last season.

The Timbers take on the Vancouver Whitecaps in their opening match of the 2025 season on Sunday.

Portland finished ninth in the Western Conference last term, one place behind Vancouver.

The Whitecaps, though, cruised to a 5-0 victory in the first round of the playoffs.

Portland subsequently saw talisman Evander leave in the offseason to join FC Cincinnati, though Neville is confident his side will be in for an improved campaign.

"I'm really excited for the start of the season. It's felt like a long but productive offseason – the preseason was really good, we've really enjoyed it," he said.

"I felt more settled with the team, with the job, in the city. All the work you put in, it now comes to the real action. We're looking forward to starting the season.

"We're going to be a different team this year – there's going to be a new identity, a new style of play, because the players are different, and the ones we have brought in will make us a different team.

"Last year, we were a team of really good individuals but individuals don't always win you championships, get you wins or get you success.

"I think we'll be a better team this season, and that as a coach is a really good place to be, because at times last year we rolled the dice on which version of the team we were going to see – and we saw that inconsistency throughout the season.

"What I expect this year and what we've planned on is consistency in our play – consistency gets you success. We're a new team, a young team, which is really exciting, and we're going to need the young players to step up."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Portland Timbers - Diego Chara

With so much inexperience in his team, Neville will be looking to his senior players to guide the youngsters this term.

Captain Chara, at 38, is one of those Neville will be relying on. The veteran campaigner played 33 times in MLS last season, making 29 starts.

Vancouver Whitecaps - Brian White

White scored 15 goals last regular season, equalling his total from 2023 as he is the only Whitecaps player with multiple 15-goal MLS seasons.

Nine of White's goals came on the road last year, the most by a Whitecaps player in a single regular season in the club's MLS history.

MATCH PREDICTION: PORTLAND WIN

The Whitecaps have won only one of their last six season-opening matches dating back to 2019, though that win was a 1-0 victory over the Timbers to begin the 2021 season.

The Timbers (W12 D11 L11 in 2024) have recorded at least 10 wins, 10 draws and 10 losses in each of the last three MLS seasons.

Portland had not hit double-digits in all three columns in any of its first 10 full seasons in MLS (excluding shortened 2020 season).

There is a Cascadia Cup match on the opening weekend of the season for just the second time in MLS history, and Portland are made the favourites by the Opta's supercomputer.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Portland Timbers - 46.5%

Vancouver Whitecaps - 27%

Draw - 26.5%