Columbus Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark makes nightmare start to MLS final after

“They had a good defense all year and we knew they were going to be very hard to break down and we knew that (on) those chances you don’t have much time to get the shots off and they did a good job”, Berhalter said.

Columbus, who finished in second place behind New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference regular campaign, were given a lifeline after 18 minutes as former Norwich City and Middlesbrough striker Kei Kamara halved the arrears with his 26th goal of the season – capitalising on another keeping error from Adam Kwarasey.

“We were never in danger”, he said after the 2-1 win.

We have finally arrived at the end of the MLS season.

Captain Michael Parkhurst remarked on the fans trying to get the club back in the game. “The fans have been fantastic all year, and I appreciate them”. Only once all year did they manage to lose two games in a row.

After a less-than-impressive 2014 season in a stacked MLS Western Conference (12-9-13), the Timbers chose to make some significant moves in regards to their roster. No other team in MLS has been better at avoiding losses in bunches.

Columbus was fortunate to not concede when a scramble in front of the goal in the 60 minute nearly had the ball cross the line twice.

“A lot has been made of it not being smooth”, Porter said of the Timbers’ season, “but that is MLS”. Despite that beginning, it was the first team to build its own soccer-specific stadium, which was part of the league’s original business plan. But, what I would say is in professional sports you play until either the ball is out of bounds or theres a whistle and we have to keep playing. “I think we were close”, Berhalter said after the match. Even late I can remember two, three plays where he tracked guys back. For most viewers, the easiest will be Watch ESPN, where you can find the English-language stream of the game.

The two players may both wish to play through the center, but that is about where the similarities stop. After drawing the Whitecaps in the first leg of the conference semifinals, the Timbers won 2-0 in Vancouver. From there, it’s a massive drop-off in production, but not quality – Darlington Nagbe (5 and 5), ever the enigma, and Diego Valeri (8 and 2) check in with a combined 20 goals scored and assisted.

Later in the half, Portland’s pesky Diego Chara delivered a hidden blow to Columbus’ Justin Meram, who responded moments later with a rugby tackle on the Timbers’ Liam Ridgewell.

“It’s all the players”, he said. Jorge Villafana and Alvas Powell are the full backs who, like their counterparts, will be all-action up and down the flanks all game long.

Timbers goalkeepers coach Adin Brown, who starred for the local XI from 2002-04, lifted the championship trophy following Sunday’s match 13 years after he was denied of the opportunity to do so during the 2002 MLS Cup final, which was held at Gillette Stadium. “We just didn’t give them enough to cheer about tonight, that’s our fault”.