News Summary
The Portland Timbers secured a spot in the next round of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs by defeating Real Salt Lake 3-1 in the Western Conference Wild Card Game. Felipe Mora starred with two goals, while Kamal Miller added another. The Timbers will now face San Diego FC in a Best-of-3 series. This win is significant as it marks the Timbers’ first series advancement since 2021, providing a much-needed boost after a tough season.
Portland
The Portland Timbers advanced to the next round of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs after defeating Real Salt Lake 3-1 in the Western Conference Wild Card Game on Wednesday at Providence Park. This victory marks the Timbers’ first series advancement since 2021 and secures their place in a Round One Best-of-3 Series against the top-seeded San Diego FC.
Felipe Mora was the star of the match, scoring two goals that propelled the Timbers to victory. Mora’s first goal occurred in the 24th minute when he converted a rebound from a saved header that followed a free kick taken by Kristoffer Velde. Just twelve minutes later, he doubled the lead by again capitalizing on a rebound in the 36th minute. This marked a significant turnaround for Mora, who had not scored since May prior to this match.
Real Salt Lake managed to get on the scoreboard with a goal from Justen Glad in the 39th minute, who found the back of the net with a well-placed header into the top corner. Despite the goal, the Timbers maintained their composure, with goalkeeper James Pantemis making several critical saves that preserved the lead.
The Timbers extended their advantage in the 82nd minute with a header from Kamal Miller after he connected with a cross from Ariel Lassiter. This marked the third goal of the night and solidified the Timbers’ position in the match.
With their win, the Portland Timbers, who entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, will face San Diego FC in Game 1 of the best-of-three series on Sunday in San Diego. Game 2 is scheduled to take place at Providence Park on Saturday, November 1, at 6:30 PM PT. Single-game tickets for the second game in Portland will go on sale to the public on Thursday, October 23, at 12 PM (Pacific) through SeatGeek.
All games in the Round One series will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV in both English and Spanish. Local radio coverage will be available on 750 The Game for English listeners and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM for Spanish-speaking audiences.
The Timbers’ victory was significant as it ended a rough stretch in which they had only won two of their last eleven matches. In contrast, this loss continued Real Salt Lake’s struggles in the playoffs, extending their winless streak to eight matches, including three losses and five draws. This match also featured controversial officiating, highlighted by a missed handball call against Real Salt Lake during the first half.
As both teams move forward, the Timbers look to build on their Wild Card victory while Real Salt Lake will aim to regroup after their disappointing playoff performance.
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Additional Resources
- Portland Timbers Official Match Recap
- OregonLive: Mora Leads Timbers
- The Guardian: Timbers vs Real Salt Lake
- KSL Sports: Portland Advances
- Sports Illustrated: 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Predictions
- Wikipedia: Major League Soccer
- Google Search: Portland Timbers 2025 playoffs
- Google Scholar: Portland Timbers history
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Portland Timbers
- Google News: Portland Timbers
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