Portland Timbers book MLS Cup spot

MLS Playoffs | Playoffs

Nov 29, 2015 at 10pm UK

FT(HT: 0-0)

Adi (54'), Melano (95')

Portland Timbers reach the MLS Cup with a 5-3 aggregate win in the Western Conference final after sharing a 2-2 draw in the second leg of their tie with FC Dallas.

Published: November 30 2015 | 00:15

Last updated: November 30 2015 | 12:11

Portland Timbers have secured their place in the MLS Cup, beating FC Dallas 5-3 on aggregate, despite being held to a 2-2 draw in the second leg of the Western Conference final.

The visitors, who secured a 3-1 win at home in the first leg of the tie, almost opened the scoring inside the first five minutes when Fanendo Adi unleashed a long-range shot, but it was blocked in the penalty box.

Portland continued to look the more likely though, with Dairon Asprilla forcing a save when he tried to slot a Norberto Paparatto cross into the roof of the net.

The hosts started to see more of the ball midway through the first half, but Fabian Castillo put his finish wide, before Ryan Hollingshead had a header blocked on the line.

The Timbers had the majority of the possession at the start of the second half, and broke the deadlock within 10 minutes of the restart when Diego Valeri played the ball in for Adi, leaving the striker to slice the ball into the top left corner.

Valeri made another run forward for Portland a couple of minutes later, picking out Asprilla with a cross, but his 20-yard drive did not trouble Jesse Gonzalez in the Dallas goal.

Despite Portland's dominance, Dallas were back on level terms with just over 20 minutes remaining as Mauro Diaz squared the ball to Hollingshead, who smashed it home from the centre of the box.

Diaz was involved again five minutes later, whipping a free kick into the box to set up Blas Perez for a header at the near post, which he nodded down into the bottom corner to put Dallas ahead for the first time, although Portland still led on aggregate.

The home side pressed hard for a third in the final 10 minutes, but Portland managed to clear a corner, before Jack Jewsbury blocked the ball back in.

However, Portland ended Dallas's hopes of a late equaliser as Valeri provided the through-ball for Lucas Melano to guide in from close range just moments after coming off the bench.

Portland will face the winner of the Eastern Conference final between Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls for the MLS Cup next month.

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Eastern Conference

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Inter Miami Inter Miami	34	22	8	4	79	49	30	74
2	Columbus Crew	34	19	9	6	72	40	32	66
3	FC Cincinnati Cincinnati	34	18	5	11	58	48	10	59
4	Orlando City	34	15	7	12	59	50	9	52
5	Charlotte FC Charlotte FC	34	14	9	11	46	37	9	51
6	New York City FC NY City	34	14	8	12	54	49	5	50
7	New York Red Bulls NY Red Bulls	34	11	14	9	55	50	5	47
8	CF Montreal Montreal	34	11	10	13	48	64	-16	43
9	Atlanta United Atlanta	34	10	10	14	46	49	-3	40
10	DC United	34	10	10	14	52	70	-18	40
11	Philadelphia Union Philadelphia	34	9	10	15	62	55	7	37
12	Toronto	34	11	4	19	40	61	-21	37
13	Nashville SC Nashville	34	9	9	16	38	54	-16	36
14	New England Revolution New England	34	9	4	21	37	74	-37	31
15	Chicago Fire	34	7	9	18	40	62	-22	30

Western Conference

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Los Angeles FC Los Angeles	34	19	7	8	63	43	20	64
2	Los Angeles Galaxy LA Galaxy	34	19	7	8	69	50	19	64
3	Real Salt Lake Salt Lake	34	16	11	7	65	48	17	59
4	Seattle Sounders Seattle	34	16	9	9	51	35	16	57
5	Houston Dynamo Houston	34	15	9	10	47	39	8	54
6	Minnesota United Minnesota Utd	34	15	7	12	58	49	9	52
7	Colorado Rapids Colorado	34	15	5	14	61	60	1	50
8	Portland Timbers Portland	34	12	11	11	65	56	9	47
9	Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver	34	13	8	13	52	49	3	47
10	Austin FC Austin	34	11	9	14	39	48	-9	42
11	Dallas	34	11	8	15	54	56	-2	41
12	St Louis City	34	8	13	13	50	63	-13	37
13	Sporting Kansas City Kansas	34	8	7	19	51	66	-15	31
14	San Jose Earthquakes Earthquakes	34	6	3	25	41	78	-37	21