As part of our countdown to MLS opening weekend, we're taking a look at each Week 1 match. On Saturday, we break down the storylines around the Colorado Rapids-Portland Timbers match on March 2 (6 pm ET | ESPN+).

After making another appearance in MLS Cup final, the Portland Timbers are ready to run it back again in 2019 with the same core.

Meanwhile, the opposite can be said of the Colorado Rapids, who were focused on signing MLS-experienced veterans to improve their squad as the club looks to make the playoffs in Tim Howard's final season.

Here are three things to watch as the Rapids host the Timbers:

Rapids' new-look attack

To put it lightly: the Rapids had some, erm, troubles scoring last season. They addressed those concerns head on this winter by trading for Kei Kamara and Diego Rubio. They'll also get a full season out of Kellyn Acosta in the midfield next to another new addition Benny Feilhaber.

Last season, Kamara had 14 goals while Rubio had eight in just 781 minutes. Barring injuries or other complications, both players are extremely likely to hit double figures, something no player did for the club last year.

There are still a few questions, though: Can Rubio and Kamara play well together? Will Nicolas Mezquida create enough chances as the club's assumed No. 10?

Ebobisse and Timbers' striker search

All offseason, reports have been flying about strikers the Timbers may or may not be attempting to sign. All the while, last season's late breakout striker Jeremy Ebobisse has made his US national team debut and returned to Timbers' camp scoring goals.

The 22-year-old must have seen the headlines. Competition for attacking places in MLS is expected, though, and Ebobisse looks set to be the team's opening day striker barring late-breaking news this week.

How will it look? He played within his role last season as the tertiary option behind Diego Valeri and Sebastian Blanco, which worked well for the club down the stretch and in the playoffs last year. Can Ebobisse prove that the club need not find a new DP striker?

Diego y Diego

This one is simple: Just enjoy Valeri and Diego Chara.

I've got no tactical nuanced items to peg out, nor anything we haven't seen from either player. They're just each a joy to watch and both turn 33 this spring. The postseason showed neither are intent on slowing down yet, so the Timbers still figure to be a problem in the Western Conference.