For the first time in their history, the Portland Timbers reach their Major League Soccer opener with momentum. Thanks to Tuesday’s 5-0 win over CD Marathón in Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League —as well as the 180 minutes the team had in CCL prior to MLS’s start —Portland will hit the ground running in Utah today. That’s where they’ll take on Vancouver Whitecaps FC in a unique Cascadia battle.
“It’s a positive thing for us having been able to play two matches that are competitive,” Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese said in his Friday press conference, “because you already are tested.