RADIO
A season that began back on March 6th and saw the addition of two new franchise teams in New York City FC and Orlando FC will culminate this coming weekend in the 2015 MLS Cup Final at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus Ohio. It's certainly a climax that few prognosticators of the pundit and pub faring type would have predicted, but when Columbus Crew host the Portland Timbers in the final fray of the season on December 6th, the match itself will undoubtedly garner attention from football fans all across the country and probably even further afield.
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Footballing progressives will applaud the appearance of two teams in the final that are, compared to other MLS squads, humble in their composition, honest in their craft and diligently dynamic to the nuances of the game and the tactics required to win. Without the marquee names that many other teams have paraded this season, like New York FC (Pirlo, Lampard) and Orlando FC (KaKa), these two outfits have mastered the disciplines of team play, grit, aggressive fitness and some superb technical football to compound it all together. Columbus earned the right to host the final based on the metric of goal difference, finishing the season with three goals scored more than their opponents and thus granting them home honors. In fact, it was a 5-0 home game hammering of DC United, which was actually one of the biggest home wins of the entire season by any team, that probably sealed it and playing at home might prove a significant variable in determining who emerges as champions for the 2015 season. Then again it may not.
The Crew, who were crowned champions back in 2008 when they beat the Red Bulls in the final, had to overcome the heavily favored New York team again before making it to this season's denouement. Having finished second behind the Red Bulls on 53 points at the end of the regular season, their first playoff encounter saw them challenge Montreal (having gotten a bye in the first round) and after losing the first leg 1-2 in Montreal, a 3-1 result at home allowed them to book their place in the Eastern Conference Final against the Red Bulls. Their dominant 2-0 first leg win against an inept, and arguably an overconfident Bulls' outfit, meant they were half way there. Although New York won 1-0 at home, it wasn't enough to level the aggregate and the MLS final had its first surprise component and after 20 seasons in the league, Columbus will be making its second appearance in the final.
The Portland Timbers finished third in the Western Conference behind Vancouver and Dallas and also amassed a very impressive 53 points for the season. Their route to the final was arguably more challenging as they had to play one extra match, but their performances were no less impressive. Their first game was against Kansas and having beaten them on penalties took care of Vancouver in the next installment with a 2-0 home victory to seal that series. However, it was to be in the Western Conference Final that the timbers would carve themselves into history. Having beaten the favored Texas team 3-1 in the first leg and then drawing 2-2 away, the Portland players secured their club's first trophy by winning the conference and securing their first appearance in the MLS final. Against Dallas, Portland coach Caleb Porter has to be praised for his aggressive game plan. Carrying a 3-1 lead, many would have understood a more defensive mandate, but from the very start the Timbers were aggressive and brave in attack against a highly fancied Dallas. Portland emerged with a well deserved 2-2 draw to book their place in the final on Sunday and, honestly, it's an achievement very few balanced footballing fans could begrudge.
The final itself smacks, somehow, with a hue of fate as during their postseason odysseys, both teams were blessed with no small amount of luck, but given their performances it was the type of luck that both teams perhaps deserved. Columbus needed a 78th minute goal to extend their game against Montreal into extra time and against the Red Bulls, in the dying embers of the game, saw the post come to their rescue as New York's frantic and desperate bid to score was thwarted. However, over the two games, New York were outplayed, out-thought and out-coached and Columbus deserved the right to claim their berth in the final. Portland could have been knocked out in the first round against Kansas when a game-winning penalty incredibly hit both posts and stayed out with the epic penalty shoot-out ultimately handing the Timbers a breathless 7-6 victory.
At first blush, it would seem like the Crew are favorites to win this one given that they are playing at home and have MVP finalist Kei Kamara, who was tied for highest goal scorer with 22 goals in 33 games, on its squad. However, home advantage might not be the glaring 12th man it seems given that Columbus' home record during the regular season was the worst out of the six teams to make the payoffs in the East. Additionally, Portland had the second best road record in the entire MLS but these statistics all emanate from the regular season and when it comes down to just one 90 minute game of football, many such metrics are, ofttimes, rendered irrelevant. Crew chieftain Gregg Berhalter, demonstrated his tactical intelligence to beat a Red Bulls team that had not only achieved the league's best record in the regular season, but also finished as the league’s top goal scorers. His team are disciplined and structured, even without the ball, and with the prolific Kamara supported by Argentinian orchestrator Frederico Higuain, pulling in wide play by the impressive Ethan Finlay, Columbus will represent a potent attacking threat.
In midfield we could see a war of attrition, especially between Tchiani and Chara who are certainly two players not afraid to get stuck in and leave a studded calling card for any and all opponents. Portland will be hoping that behemoth center back Liam Ridgewell is recovered from his calf injury but as we have seen with Berhalter and Columbus, Portland's Porter is more than capable of moulding his team to adapt to circumstance and challenge. His decision to move Darlington Nagbe into a more attacking role has been no small part of his team's recent surge and Nagbe's performances have even earned him a call up to the US National team. Portland are coming into the game unbeaten in 8 games and a team brimming in confidence and an inevitable feeling of entitled destiny. It's a game that is already evoking commendations and both teams making it this far only goes to further the narrative of glory that a group of hard working footballers can achieve through fundamental, basic, deep rooted honesty and team unity. Going against the populists, we think Portland might just carry a desire into this match that Columbus may not be able to contain. In a season where two of the purported 'underdogs' have made it to the final, we'll give the nod to one more, and tip Portland to be champions come Sunday evening.
