Topics: Portland Timbers, Columbus Crew, Diego Valeri, Kei Kamara, Wallace, Jair Marrufo, Major League Soccer
Portland scored the fastest MLS Cup Final goal less than 30 seconds into the game. Columbus is the first team to lose at home under the new format.

For the first time in five years of existance, the Portland Timbers raised the trophy of MLS Cup Champions. The third expansion team to win it is the first side to have done it playing away from home. With just over 20,000 fans in attendance, the team of Caleb Porter won 1-2 in a game that had a bit of everything.

Fastest Goal in an MLS final

You can expect many things in a final but a lack of concentration from the defense in the first 30 seconds is not something among those lines. This 20th MLS season provided fans with the fastest goal in an MLS Regular Season game (4 seconds), the fastest goal in MLS Playoff history (nine seconds) and this Sunday, the fastest goal in an MLS Cup final game.

Diego Valeri took advantage of a ball that was played back to the goalkeeper early in the game. He put so much pressure on Steve Clark, that he was able to block his kick and the ball automatically went to the back of the net. Valeri would be named the Most Valuable Player of the final after playing a great game.

Wake up Columbus, Portland just scored

Play Until the Whistle Blows

Referee mistakes happen all the time in a sport like soccer. One of the basic things that a coach tells their players is to play until the whistle blows and not make their own calls based on a sitition. This Sunday, when a ball clearly left the field, no official made any call and Columbus thought that the ball would be called out, instead the Timbers continues chasing the ball.

That way, Portland took advantage of another lack of focus moment in the Columbus defense to get the second goal for his team. It all started from the right side of the field and with a great cross, Wallace was able to put his head on it for the second goal of the night only seven minutes into the game.

Keep Playing!

Kamara Being Kamara

If there was one man that Columbus Crew had to turn to so they could try and fix a mess that was out of control it was their top goalscorer Kei Kamara. The player with the most goals in the MLS Regular Season and Playoffs combined got his team withing a goal from tying the game.

The veteran player had 22 in the regular season and three more once the playoffs started. In a very physical play inside the small box, Kamara kept fighting to keep posession and once he found an open space, the fired and the ball went in for a 1-2 only eight minutes after Portland's second goal. It was game on at that point.

Leave it to Kei to fix it

Referee Mistakes

This game had it all, from fast goals, to lots of shots on goals and why not, some referee mistakes. While most people will remember Jair Marrufo's performance based on missing to call a ball that went clearly out before Portland scored their second goal and the one that decided the championship. 

While Marrufo did not want to become a protagonist on this game, he did by letting many hard tackles go. He called 12 fouls on Portland and nine on Columbus. That was a very low number compared to how physical this game turned out to be. Only four yellow cards were given out in a game where according to many analysts, needed more in order to control the intensity of the game.

Portland's Heroics

Portland Timbers did what they needed to do to come out on top. Under the guidance of Caleb Porter, a coach that was a national champion with the University of Akron did not feel the need to go for the kill after their second goal, but preferred Columbus to do most of the fight. Their counter-attacks almost gave them the third goal they may have wanted to release the pressure that kept on building as the game progressed.

As the clock approached the end of the game, both teams created good chances but no more goals were scored. When Jair Marrufo blew the final whistle, the work was done. Portland became the third expansion team to win the MLS Cup and the first one from the Northwestern Pacific area. 

Only five years after coming into the league Portland wins their first MLS title. Only nine other teams have won it and the LA Galaxy continues to be the team with the most titles. Ever since a new format was put into place, it is the first time that a visitor hoists the MLS Cup in enemy territory. The Portland Timbers closed the season with a nine-game undefeated streak, making it clear that they were worthy of winning the game and on a hot streak when it mattered the most.

Congratulations Timbers