Portland Timbers: “This is the Most Important Match"

Gio Savarese’s Portland Timbers arrive at the Semifinal stage via an effective one-two punch of grit and talent. Early wins over LA Galaxy and local Northwest rivals Seattle Sounders set the table for a mouthwatering Quarterfinal with Bob Bradley, Carlos Vela and the outstanding MLS-leading LAFC. But Gio and co. got the arithmetic right in Downtown LA and frustrated the fancied LA attack, keeping the scoreline at 0-0 long enough for 22-year-old striker Jeremy Ebobisse to hit home a close-range winner six minutes from time for the men from the Rose City. Same as the rest of the 2019 Final Four, Portland have never reached a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final before. With only Minnesota United standing between them and a shot at the trophy, you can count on Savarese’s men being up for to the task.