BEAVERTON, Ore. – There’s no doubt the Portland Timbers are disappointed they’ve left their postseason fate still undecided so late in the season.
The Timbers also know they can put all that doubt behind them by taking care of business in their final three games. Seven points will do the trick, with the Timbers tied with the San Jose Earthquakes for the final Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoff spot in the Western Conference, yet holding a game in hand. With both teams currently even on the first tiebreaker – total wins – the Quakes also appear to hold the second tiebreaker, goal differential, with a seven-goal margin (+2 vs. -5).
Portland's task starts Wednesday night on the road against Real Salt Lake (9:30pm ET, MLS LIVE). Portland will then have to face the LA Galaxy on Sunday, also on the road, before heading home to play host to last-place Colorado Rapids on Decision Day (Oct. 25).
It’s a tough path, one which features the twist of Salt Lake trailing Portland and San Jose by just three points – meaning Wednesday night’s match is a must-win for their playoff hopes as well.
“It’s going to be just like a playoff game,” said Timbers center back Nat Borchers, the longtime RSL defender who scored the winning goal for his new team in stoppage time of Portland’s 1-0 victory Aug. 15 the last time the two teams met. “The atmosphere will be just like a playoff game. The intensity will be just like a playoff game. It’s going to be a special game, no doubt about it.”
Of course, the Timbers don’t have to get seven points to make the playoffs. The Earthquakes also face two tough matches to finish their season, Friday night at home against Sporting Kansas City and Oct. 25 at FC Dallas. But Portland have bad memories of leaving things up in the air going into their last game of the season.
Last year, they had to beat Dallas in their season finale and see Vancouver lose or tie their final match. Portland took care of business against Dallas, but Vancouver also won to land the final playoff spot by one point.
“It’s a big week,” Timbers head coach Caleb Porter said. “Obviously we’ve got three games [including San Jose's on Friday] that will determine where we’re at going into the last game. We need to be in position going into that last game; what we don’t want to do is drop two results, and then we don’t control what happens.”
It puts a premium on the Timbers' next two games, the toughest of the two obviously being Sunday’s Galaxy matchup at StubHub Center, where Portland have never won and Supporters’ Shield hopefuls LA have only lost once this season.
Real Salt Lake are also in prime form, having won four of their last five since their Aug. 15 loss to the Timbers to put themselves in contention despite a summer of struggles.
“They have to win,” Porter said of RSL. “We’re certainly going to play to win. … We’re both under pressure, but they’ll be under more pressure than us to get the three points. In saying that, we’re going to play for the three points.”
Dan Itel covers the Timbers for MLSsoccer.com.
