MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015
Kickoff: 4 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Forecast: Partly Cloudy, 64 degrees
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referees: Gregory Barkey, Mike Rottersman Fourth Official: Edvin Jurisevic
Local TV: ROOT SPORTS
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst), Samantha Yarock (sideline reporter)
English Radio: 750 The Game (KXTG 750AM, 102.9FM)
Talent: Keith Bleyer (play-by-play), Brett Jacobs (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 the Timbers and Colorado Rapids marks the conclusion of the 2015 MLS regular-season schedule. Portland enters the match in the hunt for a postseason berth as a draw would guarantee the Timbers a spot in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, while a win - combined with other results - could see Portland finish as high as the No. 2 seed and earn a bye to the conference semifinal round. The Timbers are coming off back-to-back road wins against the LA Galaxy (Oct. 18) and Real Salt Lake (Oct. 14). The Rapids, already eliminated from postseason contention, enter Sunday’s match on a quick turnaround after a 2-0 road win against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.
TALK TIMBERS
Hosts Ross Smith and Fletcher Johnson talk with Timbers midfielder Rodney Wallace and assistant coach Sean McAuley about the team's push to the playoffs. The pair also chats with FOX Sports' soccer announcer John Strong
LAST MATCH RECAP
The Timbers netted five goals, including four from different players, in a span of 25 minutes in the second half en route to a 5-2 win against the LA Galaxy in front of 27,000 fans at the StubHub Center on Oct. 18 in Carson, Calif. After falling behind 1-0 on a Robbie Keane goal in the 36th minute, the Timbers responded in astounding fashion, scoring five goals – including three unanswered – in a span of 25 minutes during the second half. Forward Fanendo Adi tallied a brace with goals in the 65th and 68th minutes, while midfielder Diego Chara added a third goal for Portland in the 74th minute. Less than one minute after a second goal from Keane for LA, midfielder Darlington Nagbe scored Portland’s fourth goal in the 85th minute. To close out the scoring, forward Maximiliano Urruti converted a short cross at the near post for Portland in the 90th minute.
LAST TIME VS. COLORADO
Midfielder Jack Jewsbury registered the game-winning goal in the final minute of second-half stoppage time and the Timbers earned their second straight win in a span of four days with a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids on May 30 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. The road win marked Portland’s second consecutive victory at the time and the team’s first win at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park since joining MLS in 2011.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
The match between the Timbers and Colorado Rapids marks the 13th meeting in the all-time MLS series. Portland enters the match unbeaten in its last three regular-season games (2-0-1) against Colorado and has lost just once against the Western Conference side in league play since March 30, 2013. Sunday’s match marks the second, and final, meeting between the two clubs during the 2015 regular season with the Timbers earning a 2-1 win at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on May 30 as midfielder Jack Jewsbury registered the game-winning goal in the final minute of second-half stoppage time to lead Portland to victory.
The Timbers have compiled a 5-5-2 regular-season record against the Rapids since 2011, including a 4-1-0 mark at Providence Park. Additionally, Portland has registered seven goals and three shutouts in five games against Colorado at Providence Park while holding the Rapids to just two goals allowed.
SCOUTING THE RAPIDS
The Rapids enter Sunday’s regular-season finale following a quick turnaround after a 2-0 win on Wednesday night against Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. Colorado was eliminated from playoff contention several weeks ago after winning just three matches from Aug. 1-Oct. 10. Head coach Pablo Mastroeni’s side struggled through a 2-6-9 first half of the season, but has put together two different three-game winning streaks from July 4-18 and Aug. 22-29. Following Wednesday’s road win at Sporting Kansas City, six of Colorado’s nine wins have come against teams currently in playoff position, including two wins against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Irish forward Kevin Doyle leads the club with five goals after making his Rapids debut on May 23.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
With one game remaining on Portland’s regular-season schedule, the Timbers are tied on points (50) with Vancouver Whitecaps FC for third place in the tight Western Conference standings. Portland is one point shy of the LA Galaxy (51) in second place. The Timbers can clinch a spot in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs with a win or draw against Colorado on Sunday OR a San Jose (47pts) loss or draw against FC Dallas on Sunday OR a Seattle Sounders FC (48pts) loss or draw against Real Salt Lake on Sunday. With a win combined with other necessary results in the Western Conference, Portland could finish as high as the No. 2 seed, bypassing the knockout round and earning a direct berth to the conference semifinal round. A win would guarantee Portland at least the No. 4 seed and a home match in the knockout round.
LATE-SEASON FORM
Since the 2013 season, the Timbers have posted a record of 12-3-7 overall during the months of September and October, including a mark of 6-2-4 at Providence Park.
SOLID DEFENDING
The Timbers defense ranks first in MLS with 13 clean sheets in 33 games this season. Over the last three seasons, Portland has registered the most shutouts (35) among all MLS teams.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
This week, Timbers forward Fanendo Adi was named Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 33 of the 2015 MLS season. Adi netted a brace in a three-minute span during the second half of a 5-2 win for the Timbers on Oct. 18 against the LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The two goals in the 65th and 68th minutes marked Adi’s fifth multi-goal performance this season and increased his team- high total to 15 goals. Adi also contributed an assist on Portland’s third goal and tallied the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win against Real Salt Lake on Oct. 14.
WITH A WIN
A win on Sunday against the Rapids would see the Timbers set a new MLS-club record mark for wins in a season (15). Portland enters Sunday’s match with 14 wins, which is tied for the most in a season during the club’s MLS era. Portland notched 14 wins during the 2013 season.
WINNING AT HOME
The Timbers rank among league leaders with a 7-3-6 overall record at Providence Park during the 2015 season, including a Timbers MLS-club-record-tying streak of five straight wins from May 27-July 5. Portland has compiled one of the league’s best home records with an overall mark of 23-7-20 (.660) over the last three seasons since 2013. The Timbers’ seven home losses since 2013 is the second fewest of any team in the league over that span of time.
BALL WINNERS
Timbers defender Alvas Powell ranks first among all MLS players with 261 duels won this season, 41 more than the next highest player. Opta defines a duel as a 50-50 contest between two players of opposing sides in the match. Along with Powell, midfielder Darlington Nagbe ranks fifth in the league with 205 duels won.
PORTER AT 100
Timbers head coach Caleb Porter registered his 100th career MLS game on Oct. 14 in a 1-0 win against Real Salt Lake. Porter, the 2013 MLS Coach of the Year, has registered a career coaching record of 40-25-36 (.574) through 101 games, while his 25 losses is tied with San Jose’s Dominic Kinnear for the fewest among MLS coaches through their first 100 games.
AMONG LEAGUE LEADERS
The Timbers entered the week among MLS league leaders in total shots (477, 1st place), blocked shots (133, 1st) and chances created (369, 1st). Portland ranks tied for first overall in the league with 13 shutouts, while forward Fanendo Adi ranks tied for eighth overall with 15 goals this season.
AGAINST THE WESTERN CONFERENCE
The Timbers have put together a 6-1-8 home record against teams from the Western Conference, dating back to Sept. 7, 2014. The team’s only home loss to a Western Conference side came on Oct. 3 against Sporting Kansas City. The Timbers have lost just four home games (11-4-8) in their last 22 at Providence Park dating back to the 2014 season.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
With his next assist, midfielder Jack Jewsbury will move into a tie for 10th place overall on the Timbers all-time career assists chart with Timbers Ring of Honor member Jimmy Conway (1978-80). Jewsbury currently sits in 11th place with 15 assists for Portland since 2011.
Midfielder Darlington Nagbe is at 159 career league games for Portland, which is the second-most games played across all eras for a Timbers player. If he plays on Sunday against Colorado, he will tie NASL-era midfielder Willie Anderson (160) for most games ever played for the Timbers.
With a start on Sunday, Diego Chara will earn his 145th career MLS start for Portland.
