Match Preview: Timbers vs. Vancouver, Oct. 10

The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps square off for the third time in nine days on Sunday at Merlo Field on the University of Portland campus. The first of the three meetings on October 2nd was the final regular season match for both clubs. Portland extended its season-ending unbeaten streak to 10 games with an entertaining 2-2 draw in Burnaby, B.C. The two clubs were paired up for the first round of the playoffs and played once again at Swangard stadium this past Thursday. Not only did Portland’s unbeaten streak come to an end, they dug themselves a huge, two-goal deficit that severely hampered their chances of advancing from the aggregate-goal, two-match series.

Sunday presents us with the third and final match up of these two regional rivals as D-2 outfits before heading to MLS next spring. The second leg of this playoff series will do more than just determine who gets to keep playing for a chance at the USSF D-2 championship. The winning team also gets bragging rights and a huge leg up heading into the 2011 MLS season.

Both squads have dealt with the impending move up to the big leagues in greatly different fashions. The Timbers made changes in the offseason and added just three new faces in August. The Whitecaps on the other hand, brought in a staggering 10 new players during the month. Like any good rivalry, the competition isn’t just limited to the field, as both clubs are keen to see their personnel strategy prevail.

Portland has an additional chip on their collective shoulder as Vancouver is responsible for ending their season seemingly prematurely during the 2009 campaign. After a 24 match unbeaten streak, the Timbers stumbled a bit to end the season and the 7th seeded Whitecaps sent Portland crashing out of the playoffs in the semifinals. Rest assured, the Timbers do not want the sting of having Vancouver knock them out of the playoffs again after entering this post season as the hottest team in the league.

The Timbers face a daunting task as they need to win Sunday’s contest by a three goal margin if they want to win the series outright. A two goal margin would force two 15 minute overtime periods, followed by penalty kicks if a deadlock remains. Portland will need a much better performance than the one they brought in the first leg. The first half in particular saw the Timbers in poor form as Vancouver caught Portland nervous and tight and scored two quick goals in the first thirteen minutes.

With the need for goals, expect the Timbers to get players up the pitch right from the opening whistle. Portland will look to the league’s Golden Boot winner, Ryan Pore, along with rookie sensation Bright Dike and recent goal-scoring signee Kalif Alhassan to lead the attack against Vancouver’s league-leading defense that has only allowed 22 goals this season.

Given Portland’s two goal deficit, and all the intriguing subplots, this one has the makings of a real barn-burner.

More match previews:
Portland Timbers
Oregon Live
Dropping Timber
Vancouver Whitecaps