And Then There Were Two…
Soccer News: Columbus Crew SC and the Portland Timbers survived frenzied finishes in Sunday night’s Conference Championships to secure spots in the 2015 MLS Cup final and earn a chance to grab a 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League berth. The match heads to MAPFRE Stadium – Major League Soccer’s first soccer-specific stadium – for the second time, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 6 (ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMás, TSN, RDS2).
It’s a fitting finale for Major League Soccer’s 20th season. Crew SC, one of the league’s charter clubs, was long an embodiment of MLS 1.0. However, following Anthony Precourt’s purchase of the team in 2013, and the subsequent rebrand and infusion of young talent from both home and abroad, it has re-emerged as a model and modern franchise. This marks Columbus’ first appearance in MLS Cup since 2008, when it topped the New York Red Bulls in the championship match.
Related Articles: Columbus Crew SC Advance to the MLS Cup, Portland Timbers Advance to the MLS Cup
The Timbers, meanwhile, define MLS 3.0. Backed by a world-class supporters group in the Timbers Army and energized by ambitious scouting abroad, Portland has set a new standard for American soccer clubs. In only its fifth MLS season, the Timbers are making their first MLS Cup appearance. Portland is the first Cascadia team to get a shot to take home the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.
In many ways, this is an old guard versus new guard matchup.
On the field: expect fireworks. Both clubs will likely employ an attacking mindset from the opening whistle. Columbus finished the regular season with 58 goals – 22 from Golden Boot runner-up Kei Kamara – second only to the New York Red Bulls (62). Since Timbers head coach Caleb Porter made a pivotal formation adjustment – shifting Darlington Nagbe inside and moving one of his defensive midfielders – the Timbers attack has exploded with 18 goals in going unbeaten over their last eight games.
The 2015 season has been one a memorable one for Nagbe. Long heralded as one of Major League Soccer’s most promising players, Nagbe is starting to shed that ‘promising’ label in favor of an ‘elite’ one. Thanks to Porter, Nagbe has discovered the consistency that long evaded his game, asserting himself as a box-to-box player who can create and defend at a top-flight level. After securing his U.S. citizenship in September, the Liberia native was quickly capped by the United States National Team during its opening pair of 2018 World Cup Qualifying matches in October. A win on Sunday would be the icing on the cake for a player Jurgen Klinsmann has already dubbed a “great fit” for the USA.
After a successful playing career that included stints in Europe and multiple trophies with the LA Galaxy, Gregg Berhalter became the most prominent U.S. products to manage in Europe when he was named head coach of Swedish side Hammarby in 2011. Although Berhalter left after his second season with the club, he quickly found his next gig: technical director and head coach of Crew SC. Crew SC has quickly adapted to its head coach’s possession-oriented style and was the second highest scoring offense in MLS during the regular season. As technical director, Berhalter has made changes to bolster the club’s present and future outlooks. In 2015, Crew SC identified and signed key contributors Kamara, Cedrick Mabwati, Gaston Sauro and Harrison Afful. And at the end of the regular season, Crew SC announced that the academy at all levels will play the same aggressive and possession-oriented tactics as the first team. Berhalter has made big strides with Crew SC in only his second season full season in charge. A second MLS Cup trophy would further highlight Columbus’ bright future ahead.
Main Image Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez / USA TODAY Sports
