PORTLAND, OR – JUNE 09: MLS match ends on a 0-0 tie between the Portland Timbers and the Sporting Kansas City at Providence Park, Portland, OR (photo by Diego G Diaz/ProstAmerika).
Portland Timbers vs Sporting Kansas City
First leg Sunday November 25, 2018 Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
Kickoff 4:30 PM PST/ 7:30 PM EST
Portland Timbers at a glance
Memories of that wet Portland evening are still present. As the battle for the Western Conference, finals are set. With an upcoming match between the Portland Timbers and Sporting Kansas City, the outcome does not look easy for the Rose City squad. Ever since 2016, the Timbers have netted just a lone win with three losses and two draws against SKC.
Yes, a repeat of that 2015 postseason matchup we can state of an encore. However, the dominance put in by the SKC side over Portland Timbers by he way manager Vermes 4-3-3 trademark formation. In the end, this is poison for the Timbers offensive game and a nightmare for its defensive backfield.
Still for manager Gio Savarese and company is business as usual. With a great ambiance seen in training camp, the fact is that this group is ready to consume the feat. In spite of the Kansas Boys always putting a stop to their momentum, lets us brace to another contested series between these two.
With this final in the West, we are about to witness an all-around contest between these two titans. This time will not come easy for the Boys from the Midwest after the way the Rose City squad is playing lately. So far for Giovanni Savarese and company are on a decorous and successful playoff run.
The Portland Timbers after eliminating in the KO round the likes of FC Dallas and alter in a series of two games their archrivals the Seattle Sounders. In the end, this squad comes with an all-around optimism and winning spirits.
GK Jeff Attinella, Zarek Valentin, Larry’s Mabiala, Liam Ridgewell, Jorge Villafaña- Diego Chara, David Guzman- Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco, Andy Polo- Jeremy Ebobisse
Sporting Kansas City at a glance
For manager Peter Vermes this is it! So far, the man has won a league title as a player and now a manager. By winning three US Open Cups and a league title, the man has made of the former Wizards one tough entity. With a prolific career on his shoulders, this man touted as a firm candidate for the USMNT job.
So far, in the helm of SKC for over a decade, this man has made this squad an unstoppable leader and contender in the Western Conference. In spite of this squad in the regular season achievements, reality comes in the postseason. Finally making it into the conference finals after this squad decorous campaign but denied a spot in the finals in multiple times.
Come Sunday 25, the adventure starts in Providence Park and against their 2015 eliminators. This time is serious business for the SKC Boys and supposedly having an upper hand over the Rose City squad. That was in the regular campaign and now with postseason reality, nothing is easy. Facing a momentum ridden Portland squad, the outcome of a contest is real.
Yes, the Timbers have a drive, but so do the SKC Boys after eliminating a surging RSL in semifinals. In the end, we will have a tight and disputed final between these two squads. However, for the Kansas side they have something going in their favor. With several Portland Timbers players cautioned for suspension if they accumulate another yellow card, with Diego Chara, Diego Valeri and Liam Ridgewell.
So far, for SKC with their star striker Diego Rubio suspended for leg one and Roger Espinoza in danger of following. In the end, this gives an edge to the Midwest squad but do not count out each squad benches out.
GK Tim Melia, Graham Zusi, Ike Opara, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic- Roger Espinoza, Illie Sanchez, Felipe Gutierrez- Johnny Russell, Khiry Shelton, Daniel Salloi
In the end, both squads come much leveled to this final and despite the might and dominance of SKC over the campaign. I do not discard the fight and resolve the Portland Timbers squad put on the field. To conclude the squad with the best strategy, determination and spirits will be the overall victor in the end.
2018 Meetings
August 18, 2018 Sporting Kansas City 3, Portland Timbers 0
June 9, 2018 Portland Timbers 0, Sporting Kansas City 0
Next Match
November 29, 2018 Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
Prediction
Even
Sporting Kansas City
Portland
