After a long, long regular season, the Timbers have finally made the post season in an even year, securing their fifth place spot with a pair of wins over Real Salt Lake to close out the season. Now, just three days after a B-side scrimmage against the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Timbers have headed southeast to take on FC Dallas in the MLS Cup knockout round.
In FCD, the Timbers have an opponent with a strong defensive record and the ability to create chances on the break, but also one that is mired in an end of season slump that has seen them nosedive for much of the second half of the year before wrapping up the 2018 season with a three game losing streak.