Portland Timbers to face Seattle Sounders FC in Western Conference semifinals

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers will face Seattle Sounders FC in the Western Conference semifinals of the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs. The two-game, aggregate-goal series between Cascadia rivals begins Saturday at CenturyLink Field in Seattle at 7 p.m. (Pacific). Portland will play host to Sounders FC in the second leg Thursday, Nov. 7, at JELD-WEN Field at 8 p.m. (Pacific). Both matches will be nationally televised on NBC Sports Network.

• TICKETS: Nov. 2 Seattle Away tickets available via Timbers Army's 107 Independent Supporters Trust
• VIEWING PARTY: McMenamins Mission Theater - Nov. 2

Sounders FC defeated the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, in the Western Conference knockout game Wednesday night in Seattle to advance to the conference semifinal series against the Timbers, who enter their first MLS postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. 

• READ: MLS Cup Playoffs 101: How the 2013 postseason works

The Timbers earned points in two of their three matches against Sounders FC during the regular season, including a 1-0 victory at JELD-WEN Field on Oct. 13 as part of Portland’s eight-game unbeaten streak to end the regular season. The Timbers and Sounders FC split the 2013 season series 1-1-1.

• READ: The MLS Cup Playoffs Media Guide -  notes and stats on all 10 teams

Below is the MLS Cup Playoffs schedule with live national television broadcasts; subject to change.

Western Conference Semifinals

First Leg (Home teams listed first):
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers – Sat., Nov. 2,  7 p.m. PT (NBCSN)
LA Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake – Sun., Nov. 3, 6 p.m. PT (ESPN)

Second Leg (Home teams listed first):
Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy – Thurs., Nov. 7, 6 p.m. PT (ESPN2)
Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC – Thurs., Nov. 7, 8 p.m. PT (NBCSN)

Eastern Conference Semifinals
First Leg (Home teams listed first):
New England Revolution vs. Sporting Kansas City – Sat., Nov. 2, 5 p.m. PT (NBCSN)
Houston Dynamo or Montreal Impact vs. New York Red Bulls– Sun., Nov. 3, 12:30 p.m. PT (NBC)

Second Leg (Home teams listed first):
New York Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo or Montreal Impact– Wed., Nov. 6, 5 p.m. PT (UDN) 
Sporting Kansas City vs. New England Revolution – Wed., Nov. 6, 6 p.m. PT (Local TV)

Conference Championships
First Leg (Home teams listed first):
Eastern Conference – Sat., Nov. 9, 11:30 a.m. PT (NBC, UDN)
Western Conference – Sun., Nov. 10, 6 p.m. PT (ESPN)

Second Leg (Home teams listed first):
TBD – Sat., Nov. 23, TBD
TBD – Sun., Nov. 24, TBD

MLS Cup 2013
Saturday, Dec. 7 (hosted by finalist with best regular season record)
1 p.m. PT (ESPN, UniMas) Site TBD