When Crew SC and the Portland Timbers square off at Providence Park at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, it will have been three months to the day since they met for the MLS crown. While the recent history between the two teams certainly makes for an interesting storyline, the Black & Gold prefer to look forward instead.
“This one’s going to matter a little bit more, because we’re more familiar with the opponent, it’s the last team we played,” midfielder Ethan Finlay says. “There’s a little bit of extra motivation in the fact that you’re going to see some guys that took something away from you that you wanted.”
But for Finlay, the MLS Cup rematch is more about getting off to a strong start than getting revenge.
“I think going to a tough away place will test us early, but I think if we can settle in in an environment like Portland, it bodes well for us going forward,” he says.
Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter says his team is ready to put all of its energy into the next opponent after a relatively short offseason during which the Black & Gold acquired several new players.
“It was a successful preseason training camp. I like the attitude of the guys,” Berhalter said. “Some of the things we’ve been working on, you can definitely see in the team, so I’m happy.”
Finlay credits the technical staff for bringing in new players that fit the team’s style of play. “The new guys have been fantastic, have a great work ethic, great attitude, and depth is important,” he said.
That depth will be tested right away at one of the toughest places to compete in Major League Soccer, Providence Park. Add the fact that the MLS Cup rematch will be televised nationally on ESPN, and you have all the ingredients for a heated start to the season.
Given the circumstances, cooler heads may prevail, according to midfielder Justin Meram.
“It’s the first game of the season, and we can’t get all hyped up about everything going on,” he said. “They’re a good team as we saw last year, but we’re gonna come out and play our game.”
Crew SC last traveled to Portland in 2014 for an exciting match that ended in a 3-3 draw after a Timbers’ late equalizer in the 85th minute.
A record number of Black & Gold fans is making the trip to Portland this time around. Crew SC is expected to have the largest group of supporters ever travel to a regular-season match on the West Coast.
“It’s great, it’s special. When I think back to the atmosphere in the city last year, it was real. And to hear that, I think it validates the feeling that the city had towards us and it’s great to see that,” Berhalter said.
Encouragement like that from a fan base can go a long way for the team and change the dynamics of a match, players say.
“Any time you can look up and see a section of Black & Gold in the corner of an away stadium—it makes you smile and gives you a little smirk,” Finlay said. “Then it makes it even better when you can go to those fans at the end of the game, if you steal three points from someone.”
Claiming three points on the road against the defending MLS champions could provide positive momentum not only for the home opener against the Philadelphia Union on March 12, but for weeks to come.
“There’s no doubt it would be nice to start the season, to go into a very tough place, and get a result,” captain and defender Michael Parkhurs said. “We lost the first game last year, so things happen. But if we can start the season off on the right foot, it’s always a good vibe.”
If you ask Meram, Crew SC is a better team this year, one that has learned from both its success and defeats in 2015.
“We know what it takes to get there, and what it takes to win, and we weren’t quite there yet,” Meram said. “Now we’ve go this chip on our shoulder, and are ready to prove everybody wrong, and go in another year with a bang.”
