MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015
Kickoff: 2 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
Forecast: 49 degrees, rain
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referees: Sean Hurd, Joe Fletcher Fourth Official: Mark Geiger
National TV: ESPN
Talent: Adrian Healey (play-by-play), Taylor Twellman (analyst), Monica Gonzalez (sideline)
English Radio: 750/102.9 The Game (KXTG 750AM, 102.9FM)
Talent: Keith Bleyer (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5FM, 1150 AM)
Talent: Josue del Castillo (play-by-play), Ozkar Ramos (analyst)
MATCH PREVIEW
Sunday’s match between Portland and FC Dallas marks the second leg of the 2015 Western Conference Championship series and the second time in the last three seasons that the Timbers have reached this stage of the postseason. Portland last reached the Western Conference Championship in 2013 and missed out on the postseason in 2014 by just one point. Sunday’s match will be Portland’s second road playoff game following a 2-0 win against Vancouver in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals on Nov. 8. FC Dallas reached the Western Conference Championship after a 4-2 penalty-kick shootout win against Seattle Sounders FC in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals on Nov. 8. FC Dallas, the conference’s No. 1 seed, finished the regular season with a five-game unbeaten run (4-0-1).
TALK TIMBERS
Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri talks with hosts Fletcher Johnson and Ross Smith about the team's play in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. We also hear from head coach Caleb Porter as well as Timbers video analyst Pablo Moreira about how the team is preparing ahead of their second leg battle with FC Dallas. Finally, we hear from soccer analyst Steve Jolley on the scene in Texas.
LAST MATCH RECAP
The Timbers received goals from defenders Liam Ridgewell and Nat Borchers, while midfielder Dairon Asprilla added a goal and an assist to help lead Portland to a decisive, 3-1 win against FC Dallas in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs in front of a sell-out crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on Nov. 22. The win at Providence Park pushed Portland’s unbeaten run to seven consecutive games, dating back to the regular season. The Timbers registered a 13-11 advantage in total shots, including an 8-5 edge in shots on goal during the match. Portland also maintained 54 percent of the possession and pushed its unbeaten run to seven straight games (5-0-2) since Oct. 14 during the regular season, including a mark of 2-0-2 during the postseason.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Sunday’s match marks the second time Portland and FC Dallas meet in MLS postseason play, but the 16th all-time meeting between the two clubs since 2011 in all competitions. The Timbers have compiled a 5-4-4 record against FC Dallas since 2011 and have compiled a 2-4-2 overall record in eight games across all competitions at Toyota Stadium, including a win in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Portland has lost just two matches in their last nine regular-season meetings with FC Dallas (4-2-3), while the Timbers have scored multiple goals in three of their last four regular-season meetings against head coach Oscar Pareja’s side. Sunday’s match marks the fourth meeting of 2015 across all competitions, as Portland earned a 2-1-0 record against FC Dallas during the regular season and playoffs.
SCOUTING FC DALLAS
FC Dallas reached the Western Conference Championship after defeating Seattle Sounders FC in a dramatic, 4-2 penalty kick shootout win in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals on Nov. 8 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. After earning a 2-1 lead after regulation and pushing the series to a 3-3 tie on aggregate, FC Dallas and Seattle played through two scoreless, 15-minute periods of extra time before heading to penalty kicks to decide the winner. Goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez recorded two penalty-kick saves to help FC Dallas advance to the conference championship. The conference’s No. 1 seed, FC Dallas entered the postseason after securing a first-round bye, finishing the regular season with the most wins (18) and highest goal differential (+13) in the conference. FC Dallas is led by the duo of forward Fabian Castillo (9g, 9a) and midfielder Mauro Diaz (8g, 10a).
POSTSEASON SHUTOUTS
The Timbers and New York Red Bulls are the only two teams that have registered two shutouts during the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. Portland logged back-to-back clean sheets against Vancouver (Nov. 1 and Nov. 8), while New York logged shutouts in consecutive, 1-0 wins against D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
LATE-SEASON FORM
Since the 2013 season, the Timbers have posted a regular-season record of 13-3-7 overall during the months of September and October, including a mark of 6-1-3 at Providence Park.
SOLID DEFENDING
The Timbers defense finished the season tied for first in MLS with 13 clean sheets in 34 games. Over the last three seasons, Portland has registered the most shutouts (35) among all MLS teams.
STREAKING
Portland enters Sunday’s second leg of the Western Conference Championship against FC Dallas on a seven match unbeaten run across all competitions, dating back to Oct. 14. Portland has earned a 5-0-2 overall record with consecutive wins in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs (2-0 win at Vancouver on Nov. 8; 3-1 win against FC Dallas on Nov. 22). Going back to Sept. 20, the Timbers have lost just two of their last 10 matches across all competitions.
CONSISTENCY
Over the last three seasons, the Timbers have compiled regular-season point totals of 57 (2013), 49 (2014) and 53 (2015), reaching the postseason in two of the last three years. Over that span of time, Portland’s combined point total (159) ranks as the fourth most in MLS, behind only the New York Red Bulls (169), Seattle Sounders FC (167) and LA Galaxy (165).
SCORING FIRST
Portland finished as the best team in the league when scoring the all-important opening goal this season. The Timbers registered an undefeated 14-0-2 overall record when scoring first and were one of just two teams (Houston, 10-0-4) to have never lost after scoring the opening goal.
ON THE ROAD
The Timbers finished the 2015 regular season tied for the most road wins (7) in the league. Over the last two seasons, Portland’s 14 regular-season road wins are the most in MLS. Against FC Dallas, the Timbers have lost just two matches in their last nine regular-season meetings with FC Dallas (4-2-3). Entering Sunday’s match, Portland has earned four consecutive road wins across all competitions since Sept. 26. Additionally, the Timbers are 5-1-0 on the road across all competitions since Aug. 15.
SCORING DEPTH
Portland has had seven different players register goals in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. Defenders Liam Ridgewell and Nat Borchers along with midfielder Dairon Aprilla each tallied goals in the 3-1 win against FC Dallas in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship on Nov. 22, while midfielder Diego Chara and forward Fanendo Adi led the Timbers in a 2-0 win over Vancouver in the second leg of the conference semifinals on Nov. 8 at BC Place. In addition, midfielder Rodney Wallace and forward Maximilliano Urruti registered goals against Sporting Kansas City in Portland’s dramatic, penalty-kick win in the Knockout Round on Oct. 29. Portland’s seven goals is the most of any team in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Timbers lead all playoff teams in goals (7), assists (7), shots (54), while ranking second in shots on goal (24).
PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE
The Timbers roster features 131 combined games of MLS Cup Playoffs experience with defender Nat Borchers (27 appearances) leading the way. Midfielder Will Johnson (19) is second, while midfielder Jack Jewsbury (17) ranks third in career postseason appearances. Borchers and Johnson helped Real Salt Lake win the 2009 MLS Cup in penalty kicks against the LA Galaxy, while Borchers also helped guide Real Salt Lake to the 2013 MLS Cup as RSL lost on penalty kicks to Sporting Kansas City. Jewsbury started and played 66 minutes for the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting KC) in the 2004 MLS Cup as Kansas City lost 3-2 against D.C. United. FC Dallas’ roster features 88 combined playoff games.
2015 SEASON BY THE NUMBERS
Portland concluded the 2015 season with several impressive marks in a variety of categories. The Timbers racked up an MLS-club record mark with 15 wins, while tying for the league lead in shutouts (13). Portland finished with the league lead in both chances created (477) and total shots (486), while also conceding the third-fewest goals (39) among all teams.
