After a break, the Portland Timbers return to play in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Championship Sunday when they host FC Dallas in the first leg (4:30pm PT, FS1).
Portland comes into the match following two straight clean sheets and a 2-0 aggregate win against Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Western Conference Semifinal while FC Dallas ousted Seattle Sounders FC via penalty kicks in the second leg of the other conference semifinal.
What to look for this Sunday? We hear from MLSsoccer.com’s FC Dallas beat writer Scott Sidway to get a look into the other team.
Q: Both teams are coming off exciting semifinal victories and then had the break to recharge. What’s the overall sense in the FC Dallas camp right now?
Scott Sidway: “The confidence from FC Dallas players and coaches hasn't wavered once since they fell just short of claiming their first ever Supporters' Shield. Even after a second half collapse in the first leg of the MLS Western Conference Semifinal, Dallas spewed optimism in the lead-up to leg two.
That confidence has only gone up given the dramatic way they advanced to the Western Conference Championship [via PK’s]. The high-octane attack is firing on all cylinders, their 20-year-old goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez has been nearly flawless for over a month, and head coach Oscar Pareja is pressing all the right buttons, especially considering both of Dallas' late goals in leg two were from bench players [Tesho Akindele and Walker Zimmerman]. The team is young and hungry, and the players feel like they are the team to beat in MLS.”
Q: Who are the key players with FC Dallas to watch for in this first leg and why?
SS: “The South American trio of Fabian Castillo, Michael Barrios, and Mauro Diaz make up the engine of the Dallas attack. Diaz pulls all the strings in the middle of the field by making incredible passes look easy, but he has been prone to injury in his young MLS career. He is also one of the most fouled players in the league and draws a lot of attention from opposing defenders.
Castillo and Barrios have break-neck speed on the wing that consistently gave Seattle fits in the Western Conference Semifinal. Barrios used his speed to set up an endless amount of crosses into the box, and Castillo uses his speed, coupled with fancy footwork, to make defenders look silly and find space for shots on goal. It will be fascinating to see how they fare against a Portland backline who held Vancouver Whitecaps FC scoreless in two straight games.”
Q: The Timbers and Dallas split the regular season in two very different games with the Timbers winning 3-1 at home in April and Dallas winning 4-1 in Frisco in July. What are you most looking forward to in this particular playoff match?
SS: “Today's FC Dallas team is vastly different than the team that came to Portland in April. Chris Seitz was then the starter in goal, Barrios was an afterthought off the bench, Ryan Hollingshead was still playing on the wing, and Mauro Diaz didn't play. Dallas then beat Portland during their July rematch, cruising to what looked like a 3-0 win until a couple of late penalty kicks from both teams.
That said, FC Dallas has still struggled on the road this season, and finding a road goal in Portland won't come easy. The Timbers have shown an ability to get under the skin of both FC Dallas players and coaches in the past year. I'm most looking forward to seeing how FC Dallas holds its composure in a hostile road environment on the biggest stage they have been on all season against a team that is playing as well defensively as anyone in MLS right now.”
