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Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw in conference semifinal first leg
The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps head into the second leg of their Western Conference semifinal deadlocked at 0-0 after an entertaining, yet scoreless affair in the first leg at Providence Park on Sunday.
The Timbers nearly snuck out of their home park with a late winner, but Maximiliano Urruti's close-range effort off a feed from Diego Valeri in the 89th minute hit off the far post and stayed out. Given how friendly the posts were to Portland in the first-round win over Sporting Kansas City, perhaps the Timbers were due for a letdown from the woodwork.
Aside from that, each team had a small handful of chances, but nothing was able to separate the two Cascadia rivals, and they'll go to BC Place with all to play for with a trip to the conference final on the line next Sunday.
Here are three thoughts on the match:
No drop off from Portland after thriller
Not even three days after playing 120 grueling and intense minutes and going 11 rounds of penalties against Sporting Kansas City, the Timbers didn't show any signs of an emotional letdown or physical exhaustion. From the onset, Portland came out aggressively, carving out an early chance within the first eight minutes, and it didn't wilt down the stretch, when heavy legs could have otherwise played a part.
Portland's Thursday night penalty-kick hero Adam Kwarasey missed Sunday's match with a reported bout with the flu, but backup Jake Gleeson filled in admirably in his stead. Aside from that, the 10 field players who started Sunday also started Thursday night. Credit is due to the Timbers staff for having the team properly conditioned for the game on such short rest.
Whitecaps' wastefulness could come back to haunt
Vancouver did well to keep Portland off the board and get out of the Rose City on level terms, but you have to think the Whitecaps are kicking themselves for not walking away with even more. Octavio Rivero and Gershon Koffie each had great looks at goal from inside the Portland box in the first half, but neither could put his chance on frame.
McCarty, Red Bulls take conference semifinal edge over D.C. United
Why does it make that much of a difference? The Timbers have won three straight games on the road and four of their last five (including at playoff teams LA and Columbus), while the Whitecaps have shown a propensity to struggle at home, dropping more than a third (six) of their league games at BC Place. Vancouver did win the only one of the three meetings this season that didn't end in a draw, winning 2-1 in March, but with the away-goals rule in play, a scored draw in the second leg suits the Timbers just fine.
The Whitecaps were tremendously organized (rookie Tim Parker and Costa Rican rock Kendall Waston were steady as ever) and came into Portland with a sound tactical plan that was executed well, but without at least an away goal to show for it, it makes getting a result at home and securing a place in the Western Conference final a more challenging task than it has to be.
Ousted perfect in goal
David Ousted may well end up winning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, and he showed why over the course of his 90 minutes in Portland.
His save on Diego Valeri's free kick was nothing short of remarkable, with the Argentine playmaker's curling ball looking earmarked for the upper right-hand corner with about 20 minutes to go in a scoreless game.
WHAT. A. SAVE. #PORvVAN #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/8XkUrczMfE
— Ben Jata (@Ben_Jata) November 1, 2015
It wasn't just that play, though. He organized his back line well and was inch-perfect coming off his line to defend crosses into his area. And while his save on Valeri will dominate the highlight reels, his earlier save on Fanendo Adi, for which he simply stuck out a leg to meet Adi at the point of his one-timed effort, was just as impactful and took a high amount of expertise to execute. Where some goalkeepers might hesitate, Ousted acts confidently, and he's the ultimate safety net in the back for the Whitecaps. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the post had his back late on as well.
GALLERY: Tifos around the world
Best soccer tifos from around the world
Galatasaray fans display a sensational "Rocky" tifo ahead of their clash against rival Fenerbahce. It didn't inspire a victory, though. The Turkish rivals played to a 0-0 draw.
Borussia Dortmund fans channel their 1963 cup triumph over Benfica ahead of the teams' second leg in the Champions League round of 16 at Signal Iduna Park.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans turn to Moses for tifo inspiration, with his splitting the Red Sea illustrating how "impossible is nothing" in their Europa League series against Besiktas.
Fans of Tunisia's Club Africain display this pointed tifo at a friendly against PSG, whose Qatari owners have pumped millions and millions into the club.
U.S. fans in Columbus, Ohio, make a "One Nation, One Team" statement ahead of the USMNT's World Cup qualifying match against Mexico on November 11, 2016.
Germany fans display their heart for the team colors ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Czech Republic in October 2016.
Italy fans spell out their support for the Azzurri ahead of a massive World Cup qualifier vs. Spain in October 2018.
Iceland fans keep up their world-famous passion for the national team during a World Cup qualifier against Turkey in October 2016.
Fans in the United Arab Emirates set their sights on reaching the 2018 World Cup in Russia during a qualifying match vs. Australia in September 2016.
Colombia fans send a massive jersey around the stadium during a World Cup qualifier vs. Venezuela in September 2016.
Seattle Sounders fans turn to Game Of Thrones for inspiration in a game against the Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps in September 2016.
Djurgardens fans go all out in Sweden for a match against AIK in September 2016.
Zulte Waregem fans prepare Kortrijk for the absolute worst in this Belgian top-flight match in September 2016.
Seattle Sounders fans turn their pop culture reference to Poltergeist in March 2016 ahead of the season home opener against Sporting Kansas City.
The Timbers Army doubles down on their Eastbound and Down theme, adding another wrinkle during the club's MLS Western Conference final first leg vs. FC Dallas on November 22, 2015 at Providence Park.
Fans make a French flag tifo at Wembley Stadium during the singing of Le Marseillaise ahead of England's friendly vs. France, which took place days after the terrorist attacks in Paris.
The Timbers Army referenced Eastbound & Down's Kenny Powers with their "Cup Bound and Down" tifo for the Portland Timbers' MLS playoff elimination game against Sporting Kansas City on October 29, 2015.
Brondby IF fans display a gladiator holding up a lion's head during the team's Danish Alka Superliga match against FC Copenhagen, whose logo is a lion's head, on September 27, 2015.
New England Revolution fans equate Jermaine Jones to Indiana Jones on their quest to capture the 2015 MLS Cup on September 26, 2015.
New England Revolution fans display a Lion King theme in honor of Orlando City FC's first visit to Gillette Stadium on September 5, 2015.
Red Bulls fans take a shot at NYCFC's two summer arrivals, 37-year-old Frank Lampard and 36-year-old Andrea Pirlo, ahead of their third MLS meeting of 2015.
Germany fans in Cologne salute their World Cup champions ahead of a friendly against the United States in June, 2015.
Real Madrid fans went all out prior to the second leg of the 2014-15 Champions League semifinal vs. Juventus.
Lazio fans display a stunning eagle tifo ahead of the Rome derby against AS Roma in their penultimate Serie A match of the 2014-15 season.
Barcelona fans bid farewell to veteran midfielder Xavi with this banner at his last league game at Camp Nou before he departs for Qatari club Al Sadd.
Fans at Anfield pay tribute to Steven Gerrard in his final home match as a Liverpool player in May 2015.
Juventus fans state their case to beat Real Madrid in the 2014-15 Champions League semifinals and reach the final in Berlin.
Fans at Benfica's Estadio da Luz remind rival Porto who the Primeira Liga reigning champion is during an April 2015 match in Portugal.
New York Red Bulls fans send a pointed message to their NYCFC counterparts prior to the teams' first MLS meeting in May, 2015.
Inter Milan's Curva Nord announces its presence ahead of the April 2015 Derby della Madonnina–the annual clashes between city rivals Inter and AC Milan.
Bayern Munich fans implore their club to (translated) "Never give up" in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg vs. Porto. Bayern then turned a 3-1 first-leg deficit into a 7-4 aggregate win and a place in the semifinals.
Dortmund fans commemorate their 1997 Champions League trophy in the club's clash vs. Juventus–the opponent on the wrong side of that title bout.
Portland Timbers fans speak out against homophobia with this tifo in a 2013 match against Chivas USA
Atletico's supporters display a banner reading "Atleti crushes" before the Spanish league match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid,
Borussia Dortmund fans put on a remarkable display ahead of a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg match.
Brondby IF fans unveil a tifo ahead of a match in Denmark against Randers FC.
FC Barcelona fans display a huge banner in memory of former head coach Tito Vilanova.
Galatasaray fans support their team during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray at the Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul.
The American Outlaws unveil a huge tifo ahead of a 2014 World Cup send-off match between the USA and Turkey at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
Marseille's supporters use paper sheets to create an "OM" (Olympique de Marseille) tifo at the beginning of the French L1 football match between Marseille and Genoble.
Seattle Sounders fans display their tifo that shows coach Sigi Schmid playing cards and holding a Royal Flush before a match against the Portland Timbers.
Panathinaikos Athens fans display a banner during the UEFA Europa League match against Dynamo Moscow.
Fans of the Saudi Al-Hilal team celebrate after the scoring of a goal against Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor.
Seattle Sounders fans unveil a tifo inspired from the “Build a Bonfire” chant, featuring Sounder players holding torches on horseback ahead of a game against the Portland Timbers.
Fans of Hertha BSC before the Bundesliga match between Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen in Berlin.
Sporting Kansas City fans channel their inner Mario ahead of the 2013 MLS Cup final vs. Real Salt Lake.
Brondby IF fans.
Thousands of Barcelona fans hold up cards to spell out "Barca! Orgull," which translates to "Barcelona pride" ahead of a Champions League clash with Bayern Munich at Camp Nou.
Fans raise a tifo celebrating “Community, Club and Country” ahead of a CONCACAF Gold Cup match between the USA and Belize in Portland, Oregon.
Vitesse fans unfurl a massive Eagle banner at the Dutch Eredivisie match against Ajax at the GelreDome.
Valencia fans drape a banner featuring a king for a Copa del Rey ("The King's Cup) match against Atletico Madrid.
Juventus fans make a statement in Turin in a match vs. Inter Milan.
Dortmund fans put on another strong display at a Bundesliga match against Mainz 05.
German fans boast the newest star earned by the national team, symbolizing its 2014 World Cup triumph, at a Euro 2016 qualifying match in Dortmund.
Real Madrid fans make a point to display the club's 10 European championships ahead of the October 2014 clash against rival Barcelona at the Bernabeu.
San Jose Earthquakes fans unleash a massive tifo to mark the opening of Avaya Stadium, MLS's newest soccer-specific venue, in March 2015.
Barcelona fans show all who the real 12th man is ahead of the March 2015 Clásico vs. Real Madrid.
Ahead of a clash with Mexican foe Monterrey, Tigres players are treated by this message by its fervent supporters.
Standard Liege fans have a pointed message for Steven Defour, who departed the club for Belgian rival Anderlecht.
Orlando City fans mark their club's inaugural MLS game vs. fellow expansion side New York City FC with a statement that the Lions' "reign begins now."
Real Madrid fans salute Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo after he captured the most prestigious individual prize in world soccer again.
Vitesse fans pay homage to Operation Market Garden ahead of an Eredivisie match against SC Heerenveen.
Sevilla's fans deploy a giant banner in the stands before the UEFA Europa league final match between Benfica and Sevilla.
Fans in Liverpool’s Kop End at Anfield commemorate those lost in the Hillsborough disaster.
Lyon fans during a game against Saint Etienne.
Avi Creditor is a senior editor and has covered soccer for more than a decade. He’s also a scrappy left back.