On Saturday night when the Portland Timbers take the pitch against Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7pm PT, FOX Soccer; 750 AM The Game; La Pantera 940 AM), it will not only mark the first matchup between the two teams in the MLS era, but also a key fixture in the race for the 2011 Cascadia Cup. A trophy created by supporters of Portland, Vancouver and Seattle, the Cascadia Cup is awarded to the squad with best regular season record in matches between the three Pacific Northwest teams and has been contested since 2004. With just two fixtures remaining against Vancouver in Cascadia Cup competition for the 2011 season, the Timbers must win against their Canadian rivals on Saturday to have any chance at holding on to the trophy for a third year in a row.
| Team | GP | PTS | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Sounders | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | +1 |
| 2 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Portland Timbers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 |
For Seattle to win
The Sounders are in the driver’s seat with just one matchup left against a Cascadia rival in the 2011 campaign. If the Sounders beat the Whitecaps in Vancouver on Sept. 24 they will clinch the cup for the third time. Seattle can also clinch with a draw against the Whitecaps and at least one draw between the Timbers and the Whitecaps.
For Vancouver to win
The Whitecaps will have home field advantage with two of the remaining three Cascadia Cup matches coming at home. If the Whitecaps can come away with two positive results against the Timbers they would need to beat Seattle to come away with enough points to win the cup.
For Portland to win
Portland still has a chance to hang on to the cup for another season but they need some help. If the Timbers can come away with a victory in Saturday’s game against Vancouver, and Vancouver wins or draws against Seattle in September, it would set the stage for one of the most exciting Cascadia Cup showdowns on Oct. 2 as the Timbers could clinch the cup for the third straight season with a win in the first game ever played at the newly renovated BC Place Stadium.
