Only one of the four teams which had to play in the knockout round of the playoffs made it to the conference finals this year in the MLS Cup playoffs.
The Portland Timbers have had a magical run to this point, and it isn't beyond them to beat FC Dallas on Sunday in the opening match of the Western Conference Finals.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Portland Timbers +118
FC Dallas +250 Draw +235
Over/Under 2.5 (over +105)
ODDS ANALYSIS
FCD has a history of playing close to the vest in situations such as these, and this could end up making this game a little lower scoring. That's why the Hoops are the heavier of the two underdogs on Sunday at +250 on the moneyline and why the total is so darn low at 2.5 (under -125).
Remember that Portland, the +118 favorite in this match, hasn't won a game here at home in two tries in 90 minutes in the postseason.
KEY INJURIES
Diego Chara is still dealing with a foot sprain for the Timbers, and that leaves him up in the air for this match. The bigger concern for Portland though, is the suspensions to Rodney Wallace and Diego Valeri. Both men picked up yellow cards in both ends of that chippy series with Vancouver, and the price to be paid is suspension for this first fixture in the Western Conference Finals.
FC Dallas has a relatively clean bill of health at this point, as the team has its choice of every important member of the roster.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We've all been looking forward to the playoffs, and we certainly feel the buzz around the city a little bit differently. There's always a big buzz around league games, so the playoffs have something added and special on it, and it's a pleasure to be involved in it. It's been a good run." – Portland defender Liam Ridgewell on the importance of playing at Providence Park to open up the Western Conference Finals
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Give all the credit in the world to the Timbers for the way they've reached this point in the year. They were completely lifeless in a scoreless draw against Vancouver in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals, and most left them for dead. Instead, at BC Place, a 2-0 victory showed a ton of grit and tenacity for a team which had played so poorly on the road this year.
FC Dallas took a 1-0 lead against Seattle at CenturyLink Field, only to lose 2-1. A chaotic second leg should've been won in the 84th minute, should've been lost in the 90th, and then was ultimately won in a shootout after a life-saving goal in the dying seconds before the whistle blew. Three goals in 10 minutes of real time shook the entire Western Conference, and a shootout win by 20-year old keeper Jesse Gonzalez ultimately sealed the deal for the Hoops.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
We just don't understand why the regular season champs out West are such big underdogs in this match. At best, this should be a pick 'em proposition.
This game is going to play out slowly for sure. The Timbers are going to try to methodically kick the ball around with possession, creating opportunities here and there, and FC Dallas is going to be perfectly fine with that strategy. Getting out of Providence Park with a scoreless draw would be a suitable result for the visitors. That said, the counterattack is going to be too strong for the Hoops. We think they'll steal one in the second half after a goalless first stanza to effectively punch a ticket to the MLS Cup Finals with 90 minutes left to play in Frisco next week.
FC Dallas 1, Portland 0
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