Resume
Timbers awaits opponent
Timbers advance to the grand final after being crowned champion of the Western Conference, the final score was 2-0 in favor of Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake will have to wait until next year to seek the title.
90´
Match ends
84´
Clark gets his hands to a dangerous header.
80´
Portland Timbers change
In: Valeri
Out:Loría
78´
Red card for Real Salt Lake's Herrera.
70´
Real Salt Lake substitution
Out: Besler
In: Menéndez
67´
Silva saves his team on the line.
61´
Goal for Portland! Moreno increases the lead for the home side.
Portland Timbers change
Entra:Niezgoda
Sale: Mora
Real Salt Lake change
IN:Wood, Meram
Out: Rubio, Julio
57´
Yellow card for Herrera for a strong tackle on Paredes.
55´
Salt Lake player falls in the area but the referee does not consider it a foul.
45´
Second half begins
45´
First half ends with Timbers in the lead
32´
Steve Clark saves the Portland team by keeping out a shot very close to the line.
24´
Felipe Mora was fouled in midfield, in a play that could have been dangerous.
15´
The goal slowed down the pace of the match and Timbers dominated the ball passing through their own half while Real Salt Lake was cautious waiting for a mistake.
5´
Goooooooooooool Timbers! Mora takes advantage of the rebound and beats the goalkeeper.
1´
Match starts
The visiting team gets ready for the duel
This is how Real Salt Lake prepares
They are welcomed
This is how the Portland players were welcomed
Let it rain, let it pour… @Luckii_Official | #RCTID pic.twitter.com/l7mXrw30fn
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) December 4, 2021
Real Salt Lake Starting 11
#1 Ochoa, #2 Brody, #6 Ruíz, #8 Kreilach, #11 Rusnák, #13 Besler, #14 Rubio, #15 Glad, #22 Herrera, #29 Julio, #30 Silva.
Portland Timbers Starting 11
#12 Steve Clark, #2 Van Rankin, #33 Larrys Mabiala, #13 Dario Zuparic, #5 Claudio Bravo, #22 Cristhian Paredes, #21 Diego Chará, #44 Marvín Loria, #23 Yimmi Chará, #30 Santiago Moreno, #9 Felipe Mora.
Chara a longtime Portland idol
Now 35, Chara continues to produce quietly vital performances for the Oregon-based team, still protecting the back line superbly, regulating the pace and starting, occasionally even finishing, attacks amid an extremely graceful aging process that boils down to four words: run less, think more.
Dressed up
Here is the uniform with which Real Salt Lake will play the conference finals:
Fans await the opening of the gates
This is how the fans are a few hours before kickoff.
Just waiting for the gates to open.. #RCTID pic.twitter.com/QD6BMLQGoK
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) December 4, 2021
Recognizing a historic player
Diego Valeri is the club's all-time leader in goals (87) and assists (89) and the second with the most games (243), behind the Colombian Diego Chará who has accumulated 291 since 2011.
Timber Joey
He is the character that traditionally every time the team scores a goal Joey turns on the chainsaw and cuts a piece of the log right behind the goal and at the end of the game gives it to the player as a way of recognition.
Real Salt Lake in good shape
The team is undefeated in four games away from home, last Sunday they defeated Sporting Kansas City in a match that was decided in the final minutes, Real Salt Lake turned the score around and sealed their place in the conference final.
Stay tuned for coverage of Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake
In a few moments we will share with you the starting rosters for Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake live, as well as the latest information from Providence Park. Keep an eye on the action with VAVEL's minute-by-minute online coverage.
Channels for Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake online
The match will be broadcasted on ESPN.
If you want to watch the match online, VAVEL Mexico is your best option.
Watch out for this Real Salt Lake player
Damir Kreilach, 32 year old Croatian midfielder, is an experienced player who this season has had the luxury of scoring 16 goals and providing 8 assists, a key player for Real Salt Lake's aspirations, the Croatian has experience in German soccer, playing for FC Union Berlin, the player represents a constant threat in the area and it will be essential for the defense to stay close to the player to prevent him from scoring.
Watch out for this Portland player
Dairon Asprilla, a 29-year-old Colombian center forward, has scored 10 goals for the Timbers this season, his physicality allows him to get players off his back and his movements in the box make him very dangerous for the defense, the player played 36 games this season, that means that he is more than adapted to the system used in his game, his experience and his eye for goal will be key to advance to the final.
Background
The Timbers had a 3-0-0 record in the regular season against Real Salt Lake, in the last duels Portland has taken the advantage with scores of 3-2, 6-1 and 3-1, no doubt it is a great dominance by Timbers, which makes it a favorite to win the match, but anything can happen, Real Salt Lake will seek to break the dominance and what better than in the semifinals of Playoffs.
Referee
D. Fisher
Portland Timbers
Their only and last MLS title they won in 2015, this season they have the opportunity to take their second title and the Portland team has been responsible for leaving Minnesota on the road in an easy 3-1 victory, for the next round, in the semifinals of the conference they faced the leader of the Western conference, The score was in favor of the Timbers with a goal in the final minutes, Timber arrives at Saturday's match with morale at its peak, as they managed to beat the leader and favorite to advance, in order to continue advancing to the final the Portland team will have to manage the games better, as the match against Colorado, they did not have the best of their games, however they managed to advance due to the lack of forcefulness of the opponent.
Real Salt Lake the Cinderella of the Playoffs
The team entered the playoffs in seventh place and had to face the second best team in the Western Conference, the Seattle Sounders, the match ended tied at zero and was defined in penalty kicks, Real Salt Lake won six penalties to five, for the conference semifinals duel they faced Sporting Kansas City, the duel started in favor of Sporting, however in the final minutes, the game was tied and in the added time the goal that gave them the pass to the conference finals fell, Real Salt Lake will seek to reach the final and get their second MLS championship, but it will not be easy.
Duel for the final
The MLS is reaching its end, after a long season we will finally know the first finalist of the Western Conference, the Portland Timbers will face Real Salt Lake, both teams come from playing the beginning of the Playoffs and have been responsible for defeating the favorites, Both teams were not favored to reach the finals, however, they have been able to resolve the matches and have even needed more than 90 minutes to define the match, the ability of both teams to react makes us think that Saturday's match will be one of the best of the season.
Welcome
Good afternoon to all VAVEL readers! Welcome to the blog commentary of the Timbers vs Real Salt Lake match, corresponding to the MLS conference finals. The match will take place at Providence Park at 6:30 PM.