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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| MLS Cup: Columbus Crew v Portland Timbers – live! | MLS Cup: Columbus Crew v Portland Timbers – live! |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 9.17pm GMT21:17 | |
| Teams are in the tunnel. Shouldn’t be long. | |
| 9.14pm GMT21:14 | |
| Kei Kamara is fit, ready and raring to go: he turned an ankle in training yesterday, and there was some speculation that he wouldn’t be able to play. But he’s good, and has just told ESPN: | |
| “It was kind of a freak accident. Goalkeeper’s coming out for the ball and kind of stepped on my foot, rolled my ankle, got a little bump on my knee. But adrenaline will pump in, and I’m ready to go.” | |
| 9.11pm GMT21:11 | |
| I was just watching that Lucas Melano goal that sealed Portland’s victory over Dallas. So smooth – and a body swerve to rival Elvis. It’s around the 3:00 mark. | |
| 9.03pm GMT21:03 | |
| Our Graham is in the stadium: | |
| It’s a chilly day in Columbus. Not 2013 Kansas City cold, just mildly affecting hacks’ quality of life cold. On that note, we’re all suffering democratically – Crew SC’s press box holds 20 people, so the majority of the press are in a big open air tent above the Nordecke. Can’t confirm that press box currently contains only Don Garber eating a truffle. | |
| Interesting to see Melano star in place of Asprilla. Can see potential for straight swap later in a tight game. And also interesting to see how if Ridgewell and Kamara still have any lingering effects of injuries when they line up against each other. Will be watching for that in early going (say, first nine seconds…) | |
| 9.02pm GMT21:02 | |
| As expected, we won’t kick off at 4pm on the nose. But it shouldn’t be too long until we get going. | |
| 8.55pm GMT20:55 | |
| Some pictures from the pre-game in Columbus: | |
| 8.49pm GMT20:49 | |
| It’s almost time! | |
| Yes. #CrewSC #MLSCup pic.twitter.com/tyNErOF22a | |
| 8.44pm GMT20:44 | 8.44pm GMT20:44 |
| Anyone got any predictions? They’re pretty evenly matched, these two, and I reckon both fancy their chances today. Columbus have home advantage, of course – thanks to their better regular-season record – but I think Portland could do it. 2-1 to the Timbers? What do you reckon? | Anyone got any predictions? They’re pretty evenly matched, these two, and I reckon both fancy their chances today. Columbus have home advantage, of course – thanks to their better regular-season record – but I think Portland could do it. 2-1 to the Timbers? What do you reckon? |
| 8.29pm GMT20:29 | 8.29pm GMT20:29 |
| Just a note on the starting lineups: expect Tchani and Trapp to sit deep and protect the Columbus back four, but Afful and Francis will look to get forward and provide service to Kamara. | Just a note on the starting lineups: expect Tchani and Trapp to sit deep and protect the Columbus back four, but Afful and Francis will look to get forward and provide service to Kamara. |
| Portland will line up in their preferred 4-3-3: if Nagbe, Chara and Valeri can wrest control of the midfield the Timbers should enjoy today. | Portland will line up in their preferred 4-3-3: if Nagbe, Chara and Valeri can wrest control of the midfield the Timbers should enjoy today. |
| 8.26pm GMT20:26 | 8.26pm GMT20:26 |
| Graham Parker is at the Mapfre Stadium: | Graham Parker is at the Mapfre Stadium: |
| Timbers fans packed in nicely for final #MLSCup @GuardianUS @tom_lutz pic.twitter.com/oHeSy0Eln9 | Timbers fans packed in nicely for final #MLSCup @GuardianUS @tom_lutz pic.twitter.com/oHeSy0Eln9 |
| 8.24pm GMT20:24 | 8.24pm GMT20:24 |
| Weather watch: it’s 47F, or 8C, in Columbus. Chilly, but it’s sunny and bright. No rain. | Weather watch: it’s 47F, or 8C, in Columbus. Chilly, but it’s sunny and bright. No rain. |
| 8.23pm GMT20:23 | 8.23pm GMT20:23 |
| The guys on ESPN are just reflecting on the strides that MLS has made since its inception in 1996. Taylor Twellman makes a good point on the rise of the soccer-specific stadium: | The guys on ESPN are just reflecting on the strides that MLS has made since its inception in 1996. Taylor Twellman makes a good point on the rise of the soccer-specific stadium: |
| “It’s an event to go to a soccer game. It was not an event to go to Arrowhead Stadium, to watch the Kansas City Wizards play New England Revolution in front of 4,500 people. Now it’s an event!” | “It’s an event to go to a soccer game. It was not an event to go to Arrowhead Stadium, to watch the Kansas City Wizards play New England Revolution in front of 4,500 people. Now it’s an event!” |
| Mapfre Stadium, where today’s game is being played, was, of course, the first soccer-specific stadium in the US. | Mapfre Stadium, where today’s game is being played, was, of course, the first soccer-specific stadium in the US. |
| Updated at 8.32pm GMT | Updated at 8.32pm GMT |
| 8.18pm GMT20:18 | 8.18pm GMT20:18 |
| And Kei Kamara will start for Columbus after an injury scare in training on Saturday: | And Kei Kamara will start for Columbus after an injury scare in training on Saturday: |
| Here's your #CrewSC Starting XI vs. @TimbersFC! #MLSCup #CLBvPOR pic.twitter.com/qNLE71YOHP | Here's your #CrewSC Starting XI vs. @TimbersFC! #MLSCup #CLBvPOR pic.twitter.com/qNLE71YOHP |
| 8.15pm GMT20:15 | 8.15pm GMT20:15 |
| Team news | Team news |
| And Liam Ridgewell is fit to play for Portland: | And Liam Ridgewell is fit to play for Portland: |
| Timbers #MLSCup XI vs. CLB: Kwarasey, Powell, Borchers, Ridgewell (c), Villafaña, Chara, Nagbe, Valeri, Melano, Adi, Wallace #RCTID | Timbers #MLSCup XI vs. CLB: Kwarasey, Powell, Borchers, Ridgewell (c), Villafaña, Chara, Nagbe, Valeri, Melano, Adi, Wallace #RCTID |
| 8.06pm GMT20:06 | 8.06pm GMT20:06 |
| Hello and welcome | Hello and welcome |
| It’s finally here. Nine months after the season started, we’re ready for the championship game. Columbus take on Portland for the MLS Cup, and it promises to be a belter. | It’s finally here. Nine months after the season started, we’re ready for the championship game. Columbus take on Portland for the MLS Cup, and it promises to be a belter. |
| Maybe it’s not the final some people wanted. Maybe these two sides lack star names. But it’s hard to contest the notion that they deserve to be here. Even if they didn’t top their respective conferences, the Crew and the Timbers been the best sides in the playoffs. Columbus dispatched a dangerous Montreal before beating the Red Bulls in the conference final, and their big players have come good. Kamara, Finlay, Wil Trapp et al have done the business when it’s mattered, and that’s why they’re here, and Didier Drogba, Bradley Wright-Phillips and others are watching from home. | Maybe it’s not the final some people wanted. Maybe these two sides lack star names. But it’s hard to contest the notion that they deserve to be here. Even if they didn’t top their respective conferences, the Crew and the Timbers been the best sides in the playoffs. Columbus dispatched a dangerous Montreal before beating the Red Bulls in the conference final, and their big players have come good. Kamara, Finlay, Wil Trapp et al have done the business when it’s mattered, and that’s why they’re here, and Didier Drogba, Bradley Wright-Phillips and others are watching from home. |
| Portland have never won the MLS Cup, and are, in the parlance, “championship-starved”. But they scored a hugely impressive aggregate victory over FC Dallas in the western final, beating many people’s tip for the title, and they’re a side short on glamour but long on guts. Caleb Porter dryly noted in his pre-match press conference that the Timbers hadn’t had one player selected in the MLS all-star team, but that’s the way he likes it. | Portland have never won the MLS Cup, and are, in the parlance, “championship-starved”. But they scored a hugely impressive aggregate victory over FC Dallas in the western final, beating many people’s tip for the title, and they’re a side short on glamour but long on guts. Caleb Porter dryly noted in his pre-match press conference that the Timbers hadn’t had one player selected in the MLS all-star team, but that’s the way he likes it. |
| “I just like the way the whole thing has kind of fit together, which is probably why we’re doing so well,” he said. | “I just like the way the whole thing has kind of fit together, which is probably why we’re doing so well,” he said. |
| Two well matched sides, in a packed stadium, on primetime TV, with US soccer’s biggest prize up for grabs: it should be a good one. Kick off’s at 4pm ET. Join us! | Two well matched sides, in a packed stadium, on primetime TV, with US soccer’s biggest prize up for grabs: it should be a good one. Kick off’s at 4pm ET. Join us! |
| Updated at 8.14pm GMT | Updated at 8.14pm GMT |
| 6.57pm GMT18:57 | 6.57pm GMT18:57 |
| Tim will be here shortly, in the meantime you can catch up with our pre-game coverage below: | Tim will be here shortly, in the meantime you can catch up with our pre-game coverage below: |
| Related: MLS Cup: the Timbers and Crew players who will decide the final | Related: MLS Cup: the Timbers and Crew players who will decide the final |
| Related: MLS Cup: Columbus Crew v Portland Timbers – which team is stronger? | Related: MLS Cup: Columbus Crew v Portland Timbers – which team is stronger? |
| Related: The 10 most memorable MLS Cup moments | Related: The 10 most memorable MLS Cup moments |