Portland Timbers Man of the Match: A Tie at the Top

With so many solid performances on the night, it is hard to pick a Man of the Match from the Portland Timbers 0-0 draw against Real Salt Lake. With committed defensive performances on both sides, and neither team able to find the back of the net, there is no easy answer here.

Still, there were several players who stood out, so here are our picks from the final home game of the regular season. Let us know what yours is in the poll below.

Will - Jack Jewsbury

Jack came up big over and over again on defense, whether he was denying RSL good crossing opportunities on the outside or coming into the center to battle with their dangerous big men on free kicks. Jewsbury was also the deliverer of several of the Timbers' best attacking moments, including the beautifully hit cross that eventually fell to Kalif Alhassan in the 42' for the Timbers' closest chance on goal of the night. I was not a performance for the history books, but on a night when everyone played well, Jewsbury played the best.

Ryan - Futty Danso

It was a great defensive effort and I think Futty Danso is the main reason why this game and a lot of the games lately have been great defensive efforts. His position and anticipation on passes was great. There were times he shielded RSL players off the ball as they tried to dribble around him and his aerial presence on Saborio limited RSL's chances of winning the second ball after they played it direct.

Stacey - Will Johnson

As if to thank the supporters for naming him their Player of the Year, Johnson played his heart out in the team's final home game. He was a huge part of the Timbers' solid defensive showing, racing back to block crosses and make tackles in the Timbers defensive third. It would have been such an absurdly magical moment if his final free kick had gone in. It's a shame that it didn't, but he shot hard, he put it frame, and he forced Rimando to make a save and give up a rebound. You can't fault Johnson for that one.

There are our picks, but what are yours? Vote in the poll below and let us know why in the comments.