VANCOUVER, BC – So we meet again.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC will open the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs in the Wild Card match this coming Wednesday, October 23 versus Cascadia rivals Portland Timbers at Providence Park. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. PT live on TSN, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, and available to listen at CKNW.com and whitecapsfc.com. Whitecaps FC 2024 playoffs are presented by BMO, PlayNow Sports and TELUS.
This will mark the seventh playoff meeting between the two historic clubs since 1975
Let's take a look back at the six previous meetings.
The 'Caps began play in the NASL in 1974, and the Timbers in 1975. In 1978 they met in the playoffs for the first time.
Despite finishing with the second best record in the National Conference, it was the Timbers who pulled off the upset through Clyde Best. The Bermudan scored in a 1-0 first lef victory in Portland, and a 2-1 second leg win at Empire Stadium in Vancouver.
It would be 24 years until the two Cascadia clubs would meet again in the postseason, this time in the A-League.
Captain Paul Dailly scored in a 1-0 first leg win in Portland, before Steve Kindel cemented it with another 1-0 win in the second leg at Swangard Stadium as the lower-seeded 'Caps moved on.
Jump ahead five years, and they met again in the 2007 USL First Division Playoffs.
The underdog 'Caps won the first leg 1-0 at Swangard Stadium through Jason Jordan. But the Timbers came back to win 3-0 in the second leg at PGE Park.
With the two sides closely acquainted, the 2009 playoff battle was the most epic of all.
Portland finished first in the regular season, but the defending USL champion 'Caps were ready. Charles Gbeke and Marcus Haber scored in a 2-1 first leg win at Swangard Stadium.
That set the stage for a frantic 3-3 second leg result in Portland (and 5-4 aggregate win), remembered fondly by a superb free kick goal from captain Martin Nash.
As both Vancouver and Portland prepared to join MLS in 2011. the two sides played on final playoff series in 2010.
It would be the 'Caps who would taste victory. Gershon Koffie and Martin Nash scored in a 2-0 first leg win at Swangard Stadium. Teitur Thordarson's side then hung on after Portland took a 1-0 win, only for the 'Caps to win 2-1 on aggregate.
What could have been.
The 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs are remembered by an epic playoff series, that resulted in the first Cascadia club to win MLS Cup.
The 'Caps finished in second place in the Western Conference, getting a bye to the Conference Semifinals. Portland had to play in the one-match Knockout round (similar to Wednesday's Wild Card), needing a fortunate post in a penalty shootout to save them against Sporting Kansas City before ultimately advancing.
That proved destiny for the Timbers.
After a 0-0 first leg at Providence Park, a raucous crowd welcomed back the 'Caps to BC Place. Kekuta Manneh hit the post early on, but a first half goal from Fanendo Adi proved crucial, as they ended with a 2-0 win to move on, and end up winning MLS Cup.
