The reaction of the Columbus Crew SC watching the Portland Timbers lift the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup on Sunday at MAPFIRE Stadium was best summed up by Crew’s forward Kei Kamara’s stunned face.
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“It was (sore), but it was all about coming out here”, he said.
I never though a year ago that I would be writing about Portland’s championship-winning defense, but Porter helped turn that weakness into a strength with the acquisition of Borchers, who might have been the most important player of the MLS playoffs.
Kei Kamara was injured in practice Saturday and his status for the match was in the air.
There really weren’t many chances created outside of the goals in the first half.
“It’s hard”, said head coach Gregg Berhalter. For some reason, with Valeri bearing down on him in the penalty area, Clark miskicked the ball for a second and the Argentine pounced, stealing the ball and slipping it into the net from six yards for a stunning Portland lead only 27 seconds after kickoff.
The tension carried into four minutes of stoppage time before referee Jair Marrufo’s whistle unleashed Timber mayhem. That was a little disappointing, he said.
How did that ball not go in? “And it took this remarkable offensive explosion for them even to qualify, and the momentum was carried in (to the post season)”, Strong told Think Out Loud. And when they scored, I felt pretty bad. “I just don’t get it. If it’s on my feet, why would I stop?”
Meanwhile, another former Revolution player tasted the Cup spoils at the expense of Parkhurst and the Crew. Portland is the third expansion team to win MLS Cup, joining the Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake. “Particularly that year, when we were Supporters’ Shield winners and we would have been rewarded for that”. They will also have prizes, MLS Cup and movie viewings, and perhaps best of all, snow inside the stadium for fans to play with. The Crew have been among the top attacking teams all season long, while Portland’s balance and crisp passing game should make for an exciting matchup. “But we said, ‘Hey, this isn’t how we want our season to end.’ …”
The Portland Timbers come into this weekend’s final with 2008 champions Columbus on the back of an eight-game unbeaten streak as they bid to get their hands on the MLS Cup for the first time in their history. A scrambled ensued for the loose ball and Kamara connected from the middle of the box to slice deficit to 2-1. Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports Crew midfielder Wil Trapp (20) plays a leaping header during the second half. “This was the last championship that he won, (it came) on this field and I shared that with him”.
A goal within the opening 30 seconds, blown calls by the refs, a bit of controversy and a number of shots that went off the posts and crossbars-the 2015 MLS Cup was one of the most memorable in recent history, providing plenty of drama and entertainment.
“It’s a terrible start for us”, Crew defender Michael Parkhurst said. New England has been the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference during that same span, appearing in five MLS Cups, but has yet to win a title. “None of us envisioned starting like that”.
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“Because it is a cup game and due to the occurrences that have happened throughout the world over the last couple of weeks, unfortunately tragic events, we will have enhanced security”, Courtemanche said. We have been together through highs and lows and they deserve all the credit, they are the ones playing the game and they had belief.
