Portland Timbers at FC Dallas: How to Watch, Preview, Match Thread [2:00]

The Portland Timbers are in Frisco, Texas today and are only ninety minutes of play away from the MLS Cup Final.

However, to get there they will need to get past the first place team in the Western Conference, FC Dallas. The Timbers beat Dallas 3-1 in the first leg of the Western Conference Finals on the strength of two set piece goals and a long-range bomb from Dairon Asprilla, but that two goal lead will be a difficult one to hold onto against the side with the best home record in MLS.

The return of Rodney Wallace and Diego Valeri to the side after the pair served their respective one-game suspensions could give the Timbers a new twist for their second match against Dallas in two weeks. That potential change is just one of many factors that are coming together to make this match very difficult to predict as two strong sides come together.

Preview

Match Preview: "With two goals on their opponents, the Timbers have a strong head start in this one, but Dallas have been the league's strongest home team over the course of 2015, ending the season with a 13-2-2 record at home and coming back from a one goal deficit to advance past the Seattle Sounders in the Conference Semifinals. Of course, the Timbers are no slouches on the road, holding the best record away from home of any of the teams remaining alive in the playoffs.

While Dallas will remain mostly unchanged in their approach to this match, the Timbers will need to take a long look at their lineup as a trio of potential changes hang over the team."

Match Information

Watch it on: ESPN

Kickoff: 2:00 p.m. PT at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX

Portland Timbers in the Playoffs: Beat Sporting Kansas City, Vancouver Whitecaps

FC Dallas in the Playoffs: Beat Seattle Sounders