MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers Visit Real Salt Lake for Leg 1 of Western Conference Championship Sunday

November 8, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers travel to face Real Salt Lake in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship - a two-game, aggregate-goal series - on Sunday at Rio Tinto Stadium in a nationally televised matchup on ESPN; kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (Pacific).

Sunday's match between the top-seeded clubs in the Western Conference will also feature local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game and in Spanish on La Pantera 940 AM.

Making their MLS Cup Playoffs debut in 2013, the Timbers defeated Seattle Sounders FC in the Western Conference Semifinals 5-3 on aggregate to advance in the postseason. The Timbers were the only club to win both legs of their conference semifinal series and the only club that won its series in regulation.

Unbeaten in their last 10 games between the regular season and playoffs, the Timbers received goals from five different goal-scorers in their conference semifinal series against Seattle, and matched an MLS record for goals scored in a conference semifinal series since MLS went to the home-and-away format for the round in 2003. Portland's two-goal margin of victory on aggregate against Seattle was the largest among the 2013 conference semifinal series.

Portland is the first club since Real Salt Lake in 2008 to reach the conference championship in its MLS postseason debut.

Heading out on the road for Leg 1 of the conference championship, the Timbers posted one of the best away records in MLS during the regular season, tied for the third-best winning percentage (.471) in the league. The club scored 25 goals on the road during the regular season, second-most in the league, and conceded just 22 goals, tied for third-fewest allowed. Portland is unbeaten in its last four away matches between the regular season and MLS Cup playoffs, including a 2-1 victory at Seattle in the postseason.

Sunday's match marks the fifth meeting between the Timbers and Real Salt Lake across all competitions in 2013. Of the three meetings during the regular season, the Timbers recorded draws in both matches played at JELD-WEN Field on Aug. 21 and Oct. 19. Portland held Real Salt Lake without a shot on goal in their last matchup on Oct. 19, playing to a scoreless draw. The two clubs combined for 12 goals over three matches in the 2013 season series. The Timbers and Real Salt Lake also met in the semifinals of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Rio Tinto Stadium on Aug. 7.

Real Salt Lake defeated the LA Galaxy 2-1 on aggregate in their Western Conference Semifinal to advance to the conference championship for a fourth time in the last six seasons. After losing the first leg to the Galaxy 1-0 on Nov. 3, Real Salt Lake overturned the deficit Thursday night in Leg 2, and scored the series clincher in overtime on a goal by defender Chris Schuler in the 102nd minute. Real Salt Lake finished the regular season in second place in the Western Conference with a record of 16-10-8 (56pts) and has qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs each season since 2008. Forward Robbie Findley is the club's all-time leading goal-scorer in the MLS Cup Playoffs with four goals, three of which came during the club's MLS Cup-winning run in 2009.

The Timbers will play host to Leg 2 of the Western Conference Championship on Sunday, Nov. 24, at JELD-WEN Field at 6 p.m. (Pacific).

Fans invited to join Sunday's official viewing party at Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub Fans are invited to attend the Timbers' official postseason viewing party on Sunday at Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, located at SW 2nd Ave. in Portland, to watch the Timbers take on Real Salt Lake in the first of two matches in the Western Conference Championship. Festivities at Kells begin at 4:30 p.m. with live music and fans are encouraged to arrive early; the viewing party is open to fans of all ages.

Along with live music before kickoff, fans can also enjoy a bag pipe performance during halftime, enter to win autographed Timbers gear and can meet club mascot Timber Joey.

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 8, 2013


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