TIMBERS TOP LIONS TO CLAIM MLS IS BACK TOURNEY TROPHY AND CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BERTH

At the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Bay Lake, Florida:

In Tuesday's final of the MLS Is Back Tournament, Larry Mabiala (27') and Dario Zuparic (66') each scored once as the Portland Timbers bested Orlando City 2-1 to win the tournament trophy, a prize of $300,000, and a berth in next year's CONCACAF Champions League.

Alvas Has Left The Building

He's rejoining his former Timbers teammate Fanendo Adi in Cincinnati.

FIVE STRIPES PROVE TOO MUCH FOR TIMBERS IN MLS CUP FINAL FOR ATLANTA'S FIRST SPORTS CROWN SINCE '95 BRAVES

At Atlanta:

Josef Martinez (39') and Franco Escobar (54') each scored once while goalkeeper Brad Guzan came up with three saves to preserve the shutout in his first championship match for club and country as Atlanta United, in front of an MLS Cup Final record 73,019 fans, blanked the visiting Portland Timbers 2-0 to win their first league title in only their second season of existence.

It was the first championship in a major league by an Atlanta club since the Braves won the 1995 World Series.

Gio's New Gig

Will he at least maintain anything resembling the success that Caleb Porter had with the Timbers?


Or will he be another John Spencer?

DV8 Named MLS MVP

The Portland Timbers' midfielder deserved the award after the season he had.

End Of An Era In Portland

Where will the Timbers move from here?

The Timbers' Season May Be Over

And still, their woes continue.

Week Of Woes For Timbers

Heading into this past week, Portland was in position to advance to the CONCACAF Champions League's knockout stage, qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs, and win the Cascadia Cup.

They ended up with nothing.

TIMBERS HOLD OFF CREW IN COLUMBUS FOR MLS CUP TITLE AND CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BERTH

At Columbus, Ohio:

In 20th annual MLS Cup Final, Diego Valeri (at 27 seconds, the earliest goal in the history of Major League Soccer's championship game) and Rodney Wallace (7') each scored a goal as the Portland Timbers, in the fifth season of their current existence, became the first club from Cascadia to win the MLS Cup title, 2-1 on the road over the Columbus Crew.

Kai Kamara scored for the Crew in the 18th minute.

With the victory, the Timbers qualified for a berth in the group stage of the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League.

Seen here are the happy Timbers celebrating their championship as they completed the season with a nine-match unbeaten streak.

Timbers Qualify For CONCACAF Champions League

A  US Soccer Federation proposal in which the Major League Soccer regular-season conference champion who is not the Supporters Shield winner, instead of the MLS Cup Final loser, would become eligible for a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League was approved on Friday.

The Portland Timbers, who won the Western Conference regular-season title this past season (instead of MLS Cup Final runners-up Real Salt Lake), will take part in next season's edition of the CCL.

Report: Timbers Give Embattled Coach The Ax

It didn't help that Alvaro Saborio went wild in the second half in Real Salt Lake's Saturday win over the Timbers.

Keep in mind that is was the team that lost their US Open Cup home match to fifth-division (amateur) club Cal FC.

They've also been unable to win a match on the road or win back-to-back games this season.

Anyhow, general manager Gavin Wilkinson, who coached the pre-MLS era second-division version of the Timbers will take over as interim coach for the rest of the season.

At Least,

Kris' new club has not entered administration.

Timbers, Whitecaps Make Expansion Draft Selections

The Major League Soccer expansion draft took place on Wednesday.

PORTLAND TIMBERS:

1. Dax McCarty (selected from FC Dallas; after the draft, he was traded to DC United for Rodney Wallace)

2. Eric Brunner (Columbus Crew)

3. Adam Moffat (Columbus Crew)

4. Anthony Wallace (Colorado Rapids; traded back to Colorado for allocation money)

5. David Horst (Real Salt Lake)

6. Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)

7. Peter Lowry (Chicago Fire)

8. Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA)

9. Jordan Gaye (DC United)

10. Arturo Alvarez (San Jose Earthquakes; traded to Real Salt Lake for draft picks)

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS:

1. Sanna Nyassi (Seattle Sounders FC; traded to Colorado)

2. Atiba Harris (FC Dallas)

3. Nathan Sturgis (Seattle Sounders FC)

4. Shea Salinas (Philadelphia Union)

5. Alan Gordon (Chivas USA; traded back to Chivas USA)

6. O'Brian White (Toronto FC; traded to Seattle Sounders FC)

7. Alejandro Moreno (Philadelphia Union; traded to Chivas USA)

8. Joe Cannon (San Jose Earthquakes)

9. Jonathan Leathers (Sporting Kansas City [formerly Kansas City Wizards])

10. John Thorrington (Chicago Fire)

Alaska Airlines To Sponsor Timbers Jerseys

Well, folks, it looks like Alaska Airlines will be the jersey sponsor for the Portland Timbers when they begin MLS play next year, thanks to an announcement made on Thursday.

MLS: Timbers To Appoint Ex-Dynamo Assistant Head Coach For 2011

The Portland Timbers have named former Scotland international and ex-Chelsea, Everton, and Rangers player John Spencer as head coach when they begin Major League Soccer play next year.  He also had played with the Colorado Rapids in MLS before retiring as a player and most recently had been an assistant coach with the Houston Dynamo.

IT'S OFFICIAL: PORTLAND'S IN!!!

It became official in Portland, Oregon on Friday as Major League Soccer awarded a 2011 expansion franchise to the Rose City. The new club will retain the Timbers' nickname and will begin play in MLS the same year as Vancouver. The USL-1 version of the Timbers will play in 2009 and 2010.