And Merritt Paulson lifts the trophy. Well, we’re going to wrap this blog up now. Great game, lots of drama, and try to catch the highlights if you can – there’s plenty to see.
Thanks so much for reading. See you later. And you can read Graham Parker’s match report here:
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Portland celebrate:
Alejandro Moreno makes a good point: half-time came at the wrong time for the Crew. Their momentum was stopped, and Portland regrouped and gave a classy second-half display. Valeri, Nagbe, Ridgewell and Wallace stood out for the Timbers, but it was a team effort: they limited Columbus to very few real chances.
Diego Valeri is the MLS Cup MVP of 2015. He was excellent today: his skills, passing and crossing – plus his early goal – made the difference.
Kamara and the Crew players look dejected, but they didn’t play as well as they can today. Maybe they never really recovered from that nightmare start, although they played well in the first half and got back into it. The second 45, though, was disappointing: Portland were much better.
Portland are celebrating on the pitch, and why not: it’s their first ever MLS championship, and richly deserved. They had a great postseason, went on a nine-game winning streak, and were the better team today. Well done to the Timbers.
Full-time: Columbus Crew 1-2 Portland Timbers
Portland win their first MLS Cup!
90 min +5: Trapp is fouled in the centre circle, and it’s one last chance for Columbus. Get it in the box! They do, but no one got a touch, and it’s through for a goal kick. That must be it now.
90 min +4: Now Portland make their final change, and Jack Jewsbury replaces Rodney Wallace. The Costa Rican is seconds away from being the game-winner.
90 min +3: Valeri is yellow-carded for time wasting. And one for Saeid too? Columbus have about 90 seconds.
90 min +2: Urruti does really well to chest it down and find Wallace in the left corner. This is good game management from Portland, and now they win a corner following nice work from Asprilla.
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90 min: Adi is replaced by Urruti. Four minutes of stoppage time. Can Columbus find something?
89 min: Columbus have had plenty of the ball since the break, but they haven’t really created any clear opportunities. The final ball has been lacking.
Adi is down, and Caleb Porter is going potty on the touchline about something or other.
88 min: Portland still have two substitutions to make, but Caleb Porter is happy for the time being. Asprilla and Powell do enough to take it off Cedrick’s toe, and again Portland are happy to crash it downfield.
87 min: Ridgewell, who has been excellent today, clears from Afful’s cross. Time running out for Columbus.
86 min: Kwarasey is unconvincing with the punch, and Trapp has a go from range, but it’s blocked, and Portland hammer it clear.
85 min: It’s crazy to think that Portland haven’t scored in this second half. Three huge chances, and Columbus are still in this game. Kamara wins a corner for the Crew.
83 min: Columbus fans are jostling Valeri as he goes over to take the corner, which is not cool. There were some bottles thrown earlier in the game, too.
Columbus Crew fans pelt Portland Timbers players with beer bottles https://t.co/cP3lhK9vs6 pic.twitter.com/rDsyhZ3wcZ
— Kevin McCauley (@kevinmccauley) December 6, 2015
82 min: Portland should have killed the game by now. That was great goalkeeping by Clark, but Borchers was two yards out, and he should have found the net.
81 min: After a slightly iffy first 10 minutes of the second half, Portland have been the better side after the break: they’ve defended stoutly, allowed Columbus few chances, and created things on the counter-attack. And what a save from Steve Clark! I thought it was 3-1: point-blank header from Nat Borchers from a brilliant Valeri cross, but Clark came up big. Fabulous save.
78 min: Corner for the Crew, and Kamara pumps the crowd up. Can they find something here? Change for the hosts – Mohammed Saeid in for Meram – but the corner is well defended by Portland.
77 min: Ooh, that was close for the Crew: lovely link-up down the right, and Higuain cushioned a pass and lobbed it over for McInerney – but the sub was inches from connecting. Had he managed to, that could have been 2-2: the Timbers defence was static.
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76 min: Meram slips again – is he playing in tennis shoes? – but the Timbers can’t make it count on the break: they had a four v two there, but the passing was poor. The Timbers have had chances to put this game to bed.
74 min: Ooh, that was a chance for Nagbe following some nice combination play down the left, but his shot was high. Should have hit the target.
73 min: Change for the Crew: Jack McInerney is on for Tony Tchani.
Taylor Twellman, who is great, incidentally, cannot believe that header from Adi stayed out, and channels his finest John McEnroe: “You cannot be serious! Huh?!”
71 min: Cedrick’s ball in from the left is terrible, and Portland attack swiftly … and Adi’s header is off the post! Inside of the post, back off the keeper Clark, and somehow it managed to stay out! Brilliant header from the Nigerian; so unlucky. Another massive slick of luck for the Crew!
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69 min: Timbers corner, and Villafana will take. Ridgewell climbed at the back post, but a whistle went up for a push. And now Kamara is down hurt. He looks in pain.
67 min: It really is anyone’s game, this. Portland seem happy with what they have, but it’s a dangerous game to try to hold on to 2-1: Columbus have goals in them.
65 min: Dreadful ball in from Higuain from a dangerous position. That was really poor for a player of his quality.
64 min: Change for Columbus: Finlay, who hasn’t done much, unfortunately, is replaced by Cedrick.
That should have been a penalty. After Kamara’s hack on the crossbar, it bounced down and clearly hit Pankhurst on the arm. Another missed call, although it was tough to see in real time.
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62 min: Now it’s the Crew’s turn to attack, and they win a corner. It comes to nothing.
Just looking at that replay – it really was an amazing scramble. Parkhurst cleared off the line, but then Kamara, in an effort to clear, somehow diverted it on to the crossbar, and it came down, bounced flush on the line, and then seemed to hit Parkhurst on the arm. Did Columbus get away with one there?
60 min: Great block from Parkhurst to stop Adi. It’s a corner. And what a scramble! Oh my word. How did that not go in?! It was flicked on, turned towards goal, off the line, off the post, and the Crew managed to squirt it clear. An escape for the hosts.
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59 min: Better from the Timbers: they’re not hunkered down in their own penalty area. And that change is made – Asprilla comes in from Melano, who has maybe been sub-par today, although he did create the second goal.
57 min: Valeri’s been at the heart of Portland’s best work today. He was down a few minutes ago, rubbing his head, but he seems OK now. Portland win it back after Meram goes to ground yet again, prompting Taylor Twellman on commentary to say: “I’ve never seen Justin Meram on the ground as often as I have in this game.”
Shot from Melano: straight at Clark.
55 min: I think that might be Melano’s last action. Dairon Asprilla looks ready to come on.
53 min: Oh, what a chance for Melano! From nowhere, Portland sprang forward, and Melano found himself all alone in the box after reading Adi’s flick-on … but he scuffed his shot! That was a great chance, but his shot was horrible: he completely miskicked it. Big chance.
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52 min: Afful goes clear down the right again, but Villafana cuts out the cross. Powell has time, but just lumps it forward to no one. The Timbers are extremely deep here, and Adi can’t get on the ball.
50 min: Columbus have started very nicely in this second half, and Portland are deep in their own half. No clear chances, though.
48 min: Taken short by Higuain to Afful, who was all alone on the right-hand side, and his ball is high and hanging, but Kwarasey does well to hang on. Afful should have done better there: he had time and space to measure his cross.
47 min: Nice turn from Meram on the edge of the box, but Diego Chara is quickly in to win it. But Portland turn it over, concede the free kick, and now it’s a chance for Columbus.
We're back
46 min: No changes for the second half. The sun’s setting in Ohio – the players’ shadows are visible on the pitch now.
Here’s that Clark error:
Here’s that awful error for the first Portland goal. (vine via @Ben_Jata) https://t.co/2NxYWZBjYh https://t.co/lTUXhgs0hl
— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) December 6, 2015
Crew coach Gregg Berhalter to ESPN: “We have a lot of faith in Steve, but it was an error, it was a mistake. We were in a hole early, but we gotta dig ourselves out. As we settled in, it got a little better.”
An intriguing first 45, but one riddled with errors: two big ones from each goalkeeper, and a bad one from the officials, who should have whistled for a throw-in in the build-up to Portland’s second goal. Columbus had a nightmare start as Portland began hot, but after Kamara’s goal, the hosts were the better side, and looked dangerous in possession. Half-time might have come at the right time for Portland.
Half-time: Columbus Crew 1-2 Portland Timbers
That’s the half. Phew!
45 min + 1: Afful’s ball in from the right is abject, and Kwarasey safely catches this one.
45 min: Chance for Columbus to get the ball in the box now, but Higuain’s delivery is well defended by Adi. Only one minute of stoppage time to be added.
44 min: Powell, who has been quiet as an attacker, goes down the right and wins a corner. Columbus have looked nervy at set pieces, but they safely whack it clear.
41 min: Portland press Columbus high, and Valeri wins it cleanly, and the Timbers can break – but Valeri’s ball for Adi through the channel is just too strong.
Now Adi finds space in the box after a lucky ricochet, and looks for the near corner with his left foot – but that’s a big save from Steve Clark! Tipped round the post – it was going in. Corner for the Timbers, but it’s too long for everyone.
39 min: Chance for a break for Portland here, but Columbus are quickly back into their defensive shape. It’s calmed down a little after that frantic start.
36 min: This game has been absorbing, but error-strewn: I think nerves must have played a role. Both defences look vulnerable.
35 min: First yellow of the game for a ridiculous, rugby-style tackle by Afful on Ridgewell as Portland looked to break. It probably wasn’t worthy of a red, but it was a ludicrous challenge, and certainly would offend the sensibilities of the soccer purist.
33 min: Meram, the Iraq international, goes down again – and yet another no-call! Despite the scoreline, Crew are on top at the moment:
30' #CrewSC has settled into this match. Half an hour in, the Black & Gold hold 58% possession. #MLSCup
— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) December 6, 2015
32 min: Jair Marrufo, the ref, has looked to let the game flow, which is admirable, but a couple of late tackles haven’t been brought back – and Chara was really lucky to avoid a yellow for a cynical foul on Meram.
Adi has been quiet for Portland, incidentally. The Crew are definitely coming back strongly.
29 min: Villafana and Wallace have combined really nicely down the left for Portland, but Tchani, tall and strong, is quickly over to win it back.
28 min: Sloppy in possession from Nagbe, and Crew look to attack with Kamara: it’s laid back for Finlay to strike, but the bearded Borchers does very well to throw his body in front of it. Brave defending.
26 min: That’s another slack pass from Trapp, and the Timbers stream forward: Villafana’s ball in is really well defended by Sauro, and the Crew break, before Justin Meram is hauled down by Chara. No yellow! How is that not a booking?
24 min: Portland’s free kick in the centre circle. Ridgewell floats one in, and it falls to Valeri in the box, but his shot is tame, and straight at Clark. This game has a pleasing ebb and flow.
23 min: More pressure from the Crew, and Afful’s ball in from the right finds Higuain free in the box – but the Argentinian can’t get his shot right, and it’s wide.
21 min: Now Columbus have the bit between their teeth, but Trapp’s ball for Finlay is too strong. What a zany start this has been.
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19 min: Well, that’s another dreadful goalkeeping blunder. Afful hung a cross up, and it was on a platter for Adam Kwarasey, but he inexplicably muffed it. A melee ensued, and Kamara was quickly on to it, and did well to find the net through a crowd of bodies, but that was an ur-clanger from the Timbers goalie. It’s all happening!
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GOAL! Columbus 1-2 Portland (Kamara 18)
Kamara! We have a game again!
Goal Kei Kamara. 2-1. #MLSCup #CrewSC https://t.co/8UBcvtekhE
— Ben Jata (@Ben_Jata) December 6, 2015
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15 min: Oh, that’s interesting: in the build-up to Portland’s second goal, the ball went out of play by about a foot, and Tchani stopped because he assumed the whistle would go. It didn’t. That’s a huge blunder from the officials, although the Crew, critically, didn’t play to the whistle.
13 min: The Crew have found their feet somewhat. But Portland are classy in possession, and that’s lovely skill from Valeri – unfortunately Wallace didn’t make the run he wanted, and the ball’s out for a throw.
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11 min: Nice run from Meram, and that was a bump in the box from Nagbe. Penalty? No call, but that was dicey from the Timbers player.
10 min: Gregg Berhalter looks stunned. The Crew just haven’t started.
Stephen Marfleet won’t have won his bet today, unfortunately: “I’m going 3-1 Crew. More fire power and home advantage will be the difference. How many Timbers fans have made the journey, Tim?”
Apparently about 2,000. And Timber Joey is among them – but he won’t be able to bring his log and chainsaw into the stadium.
9 min: Meram has a go from the edge of the box, and Villafana is quick to avert the danger after it was blocked. Corner to the Crew, but they can’t make it count, and Higuain is offside.
8 min: This is a brilliant start from the Timbers. Nagbe advanced in midfield, found Melano free on the right-hand side, and Melano crossed beautifully for Wallace, arriving late, who headed accurately, low, past Clark. Columbus are in shock. What a final!
GOAL! Columbus 0-2 Portland (Wallace 7)
Boy oh boy. Wallace makes it two!
4 min: Columbus need to settle, and that was an opportunity for them: Kamara streaked down the right, crossed well, and it fell for Higuain eight yards out in space – but his touch let him down! A let-off for Portland: the marking was flimsy.
2 min: What an incredible start to the game. Was it nerves? It was a bad touch from Clark – he was deep inside his box, and it would have been judicious to just whack it – but credit to Valeri: he saw an opportunity, and pounced. A goal inside 27 seconds. Amazing!
1 min: Portland lead, and what a terrible error from Steve Clark. Parkhurst went back to Clark, but the keeper took a heavy first touch, Valeri closed him down rapidly, and tackled him cleanly, and the ball just rolled into the net. Inside 30 seconds! Awful start for the Crew.
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GOAL! Columbus 0-1 Portland (Valeri 1)
Oh my word. What a start!!!
Here’s that awful error for the first Portland goal. (vine via @Ben_Jata) https://t.co/2NxYWZBjYh https://t.co/lTUXhgs0hl
— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) December 6, 2015
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And we're off!
1 min: The 2015 MLS Cup final gets under way. Columbus all in yellow, Portland in green shirts, white shorts. Smoke all around the ground. It’s on!
Taylor Twellman: “Whoever bosses the midfield – and in particular which Argentine playmaker has a better game – will decide who wins the cup.”
Yep, dead on. Can Valeri outdo Higuain?
Kevin Ross sings the national anthem. R&B-tinged – more Beyoncé than Bo Diddley. But it was good!
They’re out shaking hands. Sunil Gulati and Don Garber making their presence felt. Let’s just play!
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Teams are in the tunnel. Shouldn’t be long.
Kei Kamara is fit, ready and raring to go: he turned an ankle in training yesterday, and there was some speculation that he wouldn’t be able to play. But he’s good, and has just told ESPN:
“It was kind of a freak accident. Goalkeeper’s coming out for the ball and kind of stepped on my foot, rolled my ankle, got a little bump on my knee. But adrenaline will pump in, and I’m ready to go.”
I was just watching that Lucas Melano goal that sealed Portland’s victory over Dallas. So smooth – and a body swerve to rival Elvis. It’s around the 3:00 mark.
Our Graham is in the stadium:
It’s a chilly day in Columbus. Not 2013 Kansas City cold, just mildly affecting hacks’ quality of life cold. On that note, we’re all suffering democratically – Crew SC’s press box holds 20 people, so the majority of the press are in a big open air tent above the Nordecke. Can’t confirm that press box currently contains only Don Garber eating a truffle.
Interesting to see Melano star in place of Asprilla. Can see potential for straight swap later in a tight game. And also interesting to see how if Ridgewell and Kamara still have any lingering effects of injuries when they line up against each other. Will be watching for that in early going (say, first nine seconds…)
As expected, we won’t kick off at 4pm on the nose. But it shouldn’t be too long until we get going.
Some pictures from the pre-game in Columbus:
It’s almost time!
Yes. #CrewSC #MLSCup pic.twitter.com/tyNErOF22a
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 6, 2015
Anyone got any predictions? They’re pretty evenly matched, these two, and I reckon both fancy their chances today. Columbus have home advantage, of course – thanks to their better regular-season record – but I think Portland could do it. 2-1 to the Timbers? What do you reckon?
Just a note on the starting lineups: expect Tchani and Trapp to sit deep and protect the Columbus back four, but Afful and Francis will look to get forward and provide service to Kamara.
Portland will line up in their preferred 4-3-3: if Nagbe, Chara and Valeri can wrest control of the midfield the Timbers should enjoy today.
Graham Parker is at the Mapfre Stadium:
Timbers fans packed in nicely for final #MLSCup @GuardianUS @tom_lutz pic.twitter.com/oHeSy0Eln9
— Graham Parker (@KidWeil) December 6, 2015
Weather watch: it’s 47F, or 8C, in Columbus. Chilly, but it’s sunny and bright. No rain.
The guys on ESPN are just reflecting on the strides that MLS has made since its inception in 1996. Taylor Twellman makes a good point on the rise of the soccer-specific stadium:
“It’s an event to go to a soccer game. It was not an event to go to Arrowhead Stadium, to watch the Kansas City Wizards play New England Revolution in front of 4,500 people. Now it’s an event!”
Mapfre Stadium, where today’s game is being played, was, of course, the first soccer-specific stadium in the US.
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And Kei Kamara will start for Columbus after an injury scare in training on Saturday:
Here's your #CrewSC Starting XI vs. @TimbersFC! #MLSCup #CLBvPOR pic.twitter.com/qNLE71YOHP
— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) December 6, 2015
Team news
And Liam Ridgewell is fit to play for Portland:
Timbers #MLSCup XI vs. CLB: Kwarasey, Powell, Borchers, Ridgewell (c), Villafaña, Chara, Nagbe, Valeri, Melano, Adi, Wallace #RCTID
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) December 6, 2015
Hello and welcome
It’s finally here. Nine months after the season started, we’re ready for the championship game. Columbus take on Portland for the MLS Cup, and it promises to be a belter.
Maybe it’s not the final some people wanted. Maybe these two sides lack star names. But it’s hard to contest the notion that they deserve to be here. Even if they didn’t top their respective conferences, the Crew and the Timbers been the best sides in the playoffs. Columbus dispatched a dangerous Montreal before beating the Red Bulls in the conference final, and their big players have come good. Kamara, Finlay, Wil Trapp et al have done the business when it’s mattered, and that’s why they’re here, and Didier Drogba, Bradley Wright-Phillips and others are watching from home.
Portland have never won the MLS Cup, and are, in the parlance, “championship-starved”. But they scored a hugely impressive aggregate victory over FC Dallas in the western final, beating many people’s tip for the title, and they’re a side short on glamour but long on guts. Caleb Porter dryly noted in his pre-match press conference that the Timbers hadn’t had one player selected in the MLS all-star team, but that’s the way he likes it.
“I just like the way the whole thing has kind of fit together, which is probably why we’re doing so well,” he said.
Two well matched sides, in a packed stadium, on primetime TV, with US soccer’s biggest prize up for grabs: it should be a good one. Kick off’s at 4pm ET. Join us!
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Tim will be here shortly, in the meantime you can catch up with our pre-game coverage below:
