As the Portland Timbers prepare for the Sunday's second leg of the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals against Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7pm PT, FOX Sports 1), it's interesting to note that Portland has a 3-1-2 record across all regular season games in BC Place. One of those wins was a particularly memorable one.
On Oct. 21, 2012, in the Timbers' second season in MLS, the road finale against Vancouver approached with rivalry and Cascadia Cup implications on the line. The Cascadia Cup is a supporter-created trophy given to the team with the best head-to-head record amongst the three Cascadia area teams: Portland, Vancouver and Seattle Sounders FC.
Heading into the game, Portland needed a victory while a loss or draw would give Seattle the trophy.
Needing a victory to clinch a playoff spot, Vancouver came out looking for the early goal. Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts denied Camilo in the opening minutes and then prevented a Steven Smith own goal inside the first 15. But the defense battened down the hatches and held the Whitecaps without a shot on goal for the final 85 minutes of the match.
In a back-and-forth match that saw 31 fouls but only four shots on target, it was a stunning long-distance golazo that provided the difference. Wearing the captain's armband, midfielder Jack Jewsbury delivered the heroics, turning a bouncing pass from Franck Songo'o into a wonder volleyed goal that left Caps goalkeeper and former USL Timbers loanee Brad Knighton helpless. The goal, which occurred in the 39th minute, held up for Portland's first road victory of the year.
After the victory, Jewsbury and the Timbers, along with representatives from the Timbers Army, lifted the Cascadia Cup for the third time in club history.
