The Timbers took advantage of a pair of early blunders – one by Columbus Crew SC goalkeeper Steve Clark and another by an assistant referee, to take an early two-goal lead before holding off the hosts to secure a 2-1 win at MAPFRE Stadium Sunday.
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Portland doubled the margin to 2-0 in the seventh minute on a diving header by Costa Rican forward Wallace.
On one side you’ve Crew SC, led by Kei Kamara’s 22 goals during the regular season (three more during the playoffs, including series-winners in each of the conference semifinals and conference finals), and Ethan Finlay’s 13 assists (5th-most in the regular season) and 12 goals.
The Timbers got off to the best possible start with the fastest goal in MLS Cup history.
Portland will win if… it has more possession and Diego Valeri gets enough time rushing towards goal on the counter. Instead of a stoppage for a throw-in, Portland’s Darlington Nagbe kept going with the ball and sent a pass wide to Lucas Melano, who found Wallace for the header.
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The rain of debris and projectiles from the Columbus fans on the Portland players after their second goal was something that you never want to see in your league, much less in the championship game. Kamara has the ability to be a game breaker in the MLS Cup, and not having him in the lineup will hurt Columbus, according to Joe Tanasey.
Higuain is happy at the heart of the Crew’s run to the final, which came because Columbus netted 58 goals despite allowing 53, the second-most of any playoff qualifier.
“You look at the Best XI, we don’t have a guy in the Best XI, you look at the all-Star team, we don’t have a guy on the all-Star team”, Porter said. “It’s a home game that we have to win”. “We just play our game”.
Portland coach Caleb Porter shrugged off criticism of his team’s style. Portland is the 24th largest TV market playing in Columbus, the 31st largest US TV market. “I’m sorry (for) the people of Columbus that we couldn’t bring them that championship, that we couldn’t bring them that trophy”.
A final free kick into the penalty area by Columbus went untouched and the closing whistle came moments later, touching off a celebration by the Timbers. Portland’s 2-1 victory in Columbus on September 26 was its first in three trips to Mapfre Stadium…. At Birmingham, Ridgewell was part of the team that beat Arsenal in the 2011 League Cup final. “We had a lot of veteran guys and a lot of guys that had played in MLS Cup prior to me even making it. This is different and it’s sweet definitely”.
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In six total MLS matches, the record for both teams stands at 2-2-2.
