MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Aug. 11, 2020
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Orlando, Fla.)
Forecast: Scattered thunderstorms, 81 degrees
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Kyle Atkins
Fourth Official: Joe Dickerson
VAR: Allen Chapman
NATIONAL TV: ESPN
Talent: Jon Champion (play-by-play), Taylor Twellman (analyst)
MATCH PREVIEW
The Portland Timbers will square off against Orlando City SC in the MLS is Back Tournament Final on Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific), at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The match will feature a national broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Wednesday’s match marks the sixth meeting all-time between the Portland and Orlando, dating back to April 12, 2015. Paired with five assists, Sebastián Blanco is the only player with three or more goals and three or more assists in the tournament. Jeremy Ebobisse ranks first on the Timbers with four goals scored, while Diego Valeri has registered two goals and three assists in six tournament appearances. Notably, the Timbers have had four of their 12 goals scored by substitutes during tournament play. Entering Tuesday’s MLS is Back Tournament Final match against Portland, Orlando City SC finished first in Group A (2-0-1) advanced to the Knockout Round. In their Round of 16 match, Orlando earned a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Impact on July 25. In their quarterfinal match, the Orlando City defeated LAFC 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout after tying 1-1 in regulation on July 31. In the 3-1 win over Minnesota United FC on July 31, Nani tallied two goals and an assist. In six tournament appearances, Nani has tallied three goals and four assists. Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese has tallied 16 saves in six appearances in the tournament.
SCOUTING ORLANDO
Entering Tuesday’s MLS is Back Tournament Final match against Portland, Orlando City SC finished first in Group A (2-0-1) advanced to the Knockout Round. In their Round of 16 match, Orlando earned a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Impact on July 25. In their quarterfinal match, the Orlando City defeated LAFC 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout after tying 1-1 in regulation on July 31. In the 3-1 win over Minnesota United FC on July 31, Nani tallied two goals and an assist. In six tournament appearances, Nani has tallied three goals and four assists. Orlando goal- keeper Pedro Gallese has tallied 16 saves in six appearances in the tournament.
TOURNAMENT FINALS AND ELIMINATION GAMES
With their win over the Philadelphia Union in the semifinals of the MLS is Back Tournament, the Timbers advanced to their fourth tournament final as a club, which includes MLS Cup in 2018 and 2015 and the 1975 NASL Soccer Bowl. With head coach Giovanni Savarese at the helm, Portland has advanced to a tournament final in two of its last three seasons. Notably, during Savarese’s managerial career with the New York Cosmos and Portland he has coached in 35 elimination matches, posting a record of 22-11-2.
SEBA BLANCO AMONG MLS’ BEST
After tallying the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win against the Philadelphia Union in the semifinals of the MLS is Back Tournament on Aug. 5, Sebastián Blanco has now tallied 32 goals and 37 assists in 116 appearances (110 starts) for the Timbers across all competitions. Blanco ranks tied for sixth with three goals and ranks tied for first amongst all MLS players with five assists during the tournament. Notably, Blanco ranks tied for first in the competition with two game- winning goals. Since the start of the 2017 MLS campaign, Blanco ranks second amongst all players in the league in chances created from open play (198), sixth in assists (33), tied for sixth in dribbles attempted (342), tied for 15th in games played (99) and tied for 22nd in goals scored (25) during regular-season play.
TIMBERS STINGY DEFENSE
In six MLS is Back Tournament matches, the Portland Timbers have only given up four goals from the run of play. In their last match against the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 5, Andrew Wooten scored a goal off a rebound after Steve Clark saved a shot from a free-kick situation. Jorge Villafaña has made six appearances (five starts) during the tournament, while Larrys Mabiala has started five matches and registered an assist. Dario Zuparic has tallied one assist in five starts, while Chris Duvall has logged four starts in the competition.
STEVE CLARK PRIMED
Portland goalkeeper Steve Clark made seven saves in a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 5. In six appearances in the MLS is Back Tournament, Clark has played 540 minutes, tallied 19 saves and holds a 1.16 goals-against-average. Since joining the Timbers in 2018, Clark has registered 11 shutouts and holds a 25-11-9 record in 45 appearances (43 starts) across all competitions. Notably, Clark is one of two players on the Timbers roster to have played every minute of every game across all competitions for the club in 2020.
DIEGO “LA SONRISA” CHARA
Portland midfielder Diego Chara is the club’s all-time leader in games played (267), games started (264) and minutes played (23,406) during the MLS regular season. Since making his debut with the Timbers on April 23, 2011, Chara has appeared in a club record 301 matches (298 starts) across all competitions, in addition to ranking first in tackles won (719), first in fouls conceded (649), fifth in fouls won (432) and third amongst all MLS field players in recoveries (1,897) during regular-season play. Notably, Chara is one of two players on the Timbers roster to have played every minute of every game across all competitions for the club in 2020.
JEBO HITTING HIS STRIDE
In scoring the opening goal in a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 5, Jeremy Ebobisse now leads the team and ranks tied for third in goals scored in the MLS is Back Tournament. In his third season with the Timbers in 2019, Ebobisse, 23, finished tied for first on the team with 11 goals and was the only player on the roster to appear in all 34 league games. Notably, Ebobisse was one of three players in MLS aged 22 or younger with 11 or more goals scored in league play last year. Additionally, Ebobisse has played in 61 consecutive matches across all competitions, dating back to Sept. 8, 2018, when he scored the game-winning goal in a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.
FROM POLAND WITH GOALS
In his fifth appearance of the MLS is Back Tournament, Jaroslaw Niezgoda came off the bench to assist Diego Valeri’s game-winning goal in a 3-1 win over New York City FC in the quarterfinals on Aug. 1. Niezgoda has made six appearances (one start), logging two goals and an assist in 187 minutes of action in the competition. Notably, Niezgoda has registered a rate of 0.96 goals per 90 minutes played during the tournament.
DIEGO “EL MAESTRO” VALERI
Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri tallied two assists in a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 5. In six tournament appearances, Valeri has registered two goals and assists. In 254 appearances (235 starts) across all competitions for the Timbers, Valeri has tallied 91 goals and 92 assists. Valeri has ranks tied for first in the competition with two game-winning goals. Since making his debut for Portland in 2013, Valeri leads all MLS players in assists (82), ranks fifth in goals scored (79) and seventh in games played (216) during regular-season play. Notably, in four career appearances against Orlando City SC, Valeri has registered three goals and two assists.
ERYK WILLIAMSON MAKING NOISE
Timbers midfielder Eryk Williamson tallied his first career assist for the club in a 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo on July 18. Williamson has made six appearances (five starts) during the MLS is Back Tournament, ranking tied for sixth on the team in shots (4) and tied for second in fouls won (10). Williamson ranks second on the team in dribbles attempted (10), tied for second in dribbles completed (5) and in tackles (7) and sixth in duels won (16) during the 2020 regular-season campaign.
ANDY POLO IMPACT SUB
In his fifth appearance of the MLS is Back Tournament, Andy Polo came off the bench to score a curling, long-range effort into the top corner of the net in a 3-1 win over New York City FC on Aug. 1. Polo has made six appearances (one start), logged 151 minutes and tallied one goal in the competition. Polo has tallied two goals and four assists in 56 appearances across all competitions for the Timbers.
