Timbers v. Vancouver Playoff Preview

• Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday is a big day in Vancouver. The Whitecaps will be hosting their first MLS playoff game in front of a sold-out crowd of 27,500—the largest in the club’s history at BC Place. Carl Robinson’s team has never won in the MLS postseason, and winning is what the Whitecaps will most likely have to do to advance to their first ever Western Conference Final.

The Portland Timbers, on the other hand, have won three playoff games in the last three years. The last of those wins came on the final Thursday in October in an instant classic shootout triumph at Providence Park over Sporting Kansas City, which was followed less than three days later with a 0-0 draw in the first leg of this series against Vancouver.

Now, rested, healthy, and supremely confident, the Timbers ready to head north to Canada and create more history in what is quickly becoming a playoff run to remember.

The History

Portland feels more comfortable at BC Place than any other away venue in MLS. In six games against the MLS Whitecaps in Vancouver, Portland has won thrice, drawn twice, and lost only once. They’ve also had success in big games in British Columbia—beating Vancouver in the opening game at BC Place in 2011, and winning the Cascadia Cup with a Jack Jewsbury golazo in 2012.

Portland’s only visit to Vancouver this season came all the way back in March, when the Timbers dominated the match but lost 2-1 on a last-minute goal by Robert Earnshaw.

The result in the first league of this series a week ago Sunday in Portland favored the Timbers, who were able to manage the game while fatigued and without both Adam Kwarasey and Diego Chara, and hold the ‘Caps scoreless. A Portland win or draw in which the Timbers score will send Caleb Porter’s side through.

750 traveling members of the Timbers Army are slated to be in Vancouver for the match. JP Dellacamera, Brad Fridel, and Brian Dunseth will have the call of the match—which kicks off at 7:00 PM as the finale of four conference semifinal second legs—for Fox Sports 1.

The Tactics

The Timbers should be back at full strength on Sunday. Adam Kwarasey is set to return from the flu that kept him out of the first game, while Diego Chara should finally feature after missing the first two playoff matches with a foot sprain picked up in the last regular season match against Colorado.

The main question facing Porter is whether to bench Argentine DP Lucas Melano—who has been abysmal and looks extremely short of confidence—for Columbia winger Dairon Asprilla, who has rediscovered his form. Melano has plenty of potential, but he’s a liability right now. Considering that Asprilla can track back and Vancouver will be looking to attack, he should get the nod.

Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson played a fairly defensive team in Portland, and all the questions this week in Vancouver have swirled around the fitness of captain and playmaker Pedro Morales. The Chilean has been in and out of the lineup all fall with various injuries, but my guess is that Robinson will gamble on him from the start on Sunday.

Around Morales, Pa Modou Kah remains sidelined with a knee-sprain. Tim Parker will continue to fill in at center-back, and there are some who think that Darron Mattocks might be given a start up top in place of the misfiring Octavio Rivero. It’s also worth watching the status of Mauro Rosales, who was a rare bright spot for the ‘Caps in the game at Providence Park and has oodles of playoff experience.

Portland’s aim should be to score early. Vancouver’s natural posture is to defend and counter, and if they have to press for a goal they should be wide open at the back for new USMNT call-up Darlington Nagbe to pick apart.

The Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps

1 – Ousted
33 – Beitashour
26 – Parker
4 – Waston
2 – Harvey
15 – Laba
28 – Koffie
13 – Techara
77 – Morales (C)
23 – Manneh
29 – Rivero

Portland Timbers

12 – Kwarasey
2 – Powell
24 – Ridgewell (C)
7 – Borchers
19 – Villafaña
21 – Chara
6 – Nagbe
8 – Valeri
22 – Wallace
11 – Asprilla
9 – Adi

The Pick

It’s fair to say that the Timbers are extremely confident, and it’s fair to say they should be extremely confident. Portland will push this young ‘Caps team—which has struggled at home all season—far out of their comfort zone on Sunday and claim a resounding 2-0 win.