Portland Timbers to Face Seattle Sounders on Saturday

With the 2013 MLS Playoffs getting into full swing, the Portland Timbers finally know who they will be playing in the conference semi-finals. The Seattle Sounders beat a disorganized Colorado Rapids side 2-0 tonight in the Western Conference play in game, setting up a Cascadia grudge match between the Timbers and Sounders this Saturday night.

You can read Sounder at Heart's game recap here.

The Sounders, suddenly back to winning ways after going without the full three points in a match since early September, are the fortunate beneficiaries of a three game home stint with their final home match, play in match, and semi-final home leg all occurring in an eight day span.

The match was not all positive for the Sounders as starting keeper Michael Gspurning, who struggled much of the evening in the wet and rainy conditions, picked up a red card after catching a long pass while outside the keeper's box. Marcus Hahnemann, who played in the Timbers' 1-0 win over the Sounders in early October, stepped in for Gspurning and finished out hte game, although he did not look much steadier as the Sounders' goalkeeper crisis continues.

Also picking up cards for the Sounders were Lamar Neagle and Eddie Johnson. In the 2013 MLS Playoffs yellow cards accumulate more quickly and players earn a suspension after picking up two. As such, a yellow card on Saturday for either Johnson or Neagle would see them sit out the Timbers' home leg of the conference semi-final.

The Timbers press release:

TIMBERS TO FACE SOUNDERS FC IN WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
Portland to travel to Seattle for first leg Saturday, host second leg Nov. 7

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers will face Seattle Sounders FC in the Western Conference semifinals of the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs. The two-game, aggregate-goal series between Cascadia rivals begins Saturday at CenturyLink Field in Seattle at 7 p.m. (Pacific). Portland will play host to Sounders FC in the second leg Thursday, Nov. 7, at JELD-WEN Field at 8 p.m. (Pacific). Both matches will be nationally televised on NBC Sports Network.

Sounders FC defeated the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, in the Western Conference knockout game Wednesday night in Seattle to advance to the conference semifinal series against the Timbers, who enter their first MLS postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The Timbers earned points in two of their three matches against Sounders FC during the regular season, including a 1-0 victory at JELD-WEN Field on Oct. 13 as part of Portland’s eight-game unbeaten streak to end the regular season. The Timbers and Sounders FC split the 2013 season series 1-1-1.

To aid in coverage of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the league has provided the following information:

· The MLS Cup Playoffs media guide contains notes and stats on all 10 teams; click here.

· MLS Cup Playoffs logo (click here) and MLS Cup logo (click here) are available for download.

Below is the MLS Cup Playoffs schedule with live national television broadcasts; subject to change.

Western Conference Semifinals

First Leg (Home teams listed first):
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers – Sat., Nov. 2, 7 p.m. PT (NBCSN)
LA Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake – Sun., Nov. 3, 6 p.m. PT (ESPN)

Second Leg (Home teams listed first):
Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy – Thurs., Nov. 7, 6 p.m. PT (ESPN2)
Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC – Thurs., Nov. 7, 8 p.m. PT (NBCSN)

Eastern Conference Semifinals
First Leg (Home teams listed first):
New England Revolution vs. Sporting Kansas City – Sat., Nov. 2, 5 p.m. PT (NBCSN)
Houston Dynamo or Montreal Impact vs. New York Red Bulls– Sun., Nov. 3, 12:30 p.m. PT (NBC)

Second Leg (Home teams listed first):
New York Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo or Montreal Impact– Wed., Nov. 6, 5 p.m. PT (UDN)
Sporting Kansas City vs. New England Revolution – Wed., Nov. 6, 6 p.m. PT (Local TV)

Conference Championships
First Leg (Home teams listed first):
Eastern Conference – Sat., Nov. 9, 11:30 a.m. PT (NBC, UDN)
Western Conference – Sun., Nov. 10, 6 p.m. PT (ESPN)

Second Leg (Home teams listed first):
TBD – Sat., Nov. 23, TBD
TBD – Sun., Nov. 24, TBD

MLS Cup 2013
Saturday, Dec. 7 (hosted by finalist with best regular season record)
1 p.m. PT (ESPN, UniMas) Site TBD