Portland beat Real Salt Lake 2-0 to reach MLS Cup final

 LOS ANGELES - Felipe Mora scored in the first half and Santiago Moreno in the second Saturday as the Portland Timbers beat Real
Salt Lake 2-0 to reach the MLS Cup Final.

  The victory in the Western Conference Final sends Portland into their
third-ever MLS Cup championship match, which they will host on December 11
against either New York City FC or the Philadelphia Union.

  The Timbers got off to a dream start in front of a raucous home crowd at
blustery, rainy, Providence Park, grabbing a 1-0 lead five minutes into the
contest.

  A weak clearance attempt by Real right back Aaron Herrera of a cross from
the right by Yimmi Chara landed right in front of an advancing Mora who
slotted the ball past Salt Lake keeper David Ochoa.

  Real had a chance to equalize in the 33rd, but Damir Kreilach's header off
a crisp cross from Herrera was denied by Portland goalkeeper Steve Clark.

  So they went into the interval with Portland leading, and Moreno drove in
the dagger in the 61st minute with a long-range blast that deflected off the
post and Ochoa's back into the net.

  Portland nearly put it out of reach in the 68th but substitute Jaroslaw
Niezgoda's initial shot was cleared off the line and his second-chance was
over the crossbar.

  But Salt Lake's hopes of another comeback stunner ended as they finished
the match with 10 men after Herrera picked up his second yellow card and was
sent off in the 79th minute.

  "I thought the guys today were fantastic," said Portland coach Gio
Savarese, who said Moreno's goal was crucial in a game against a Salt Lake
team that had produced a stoppage time goal to beat favored Sporting Kansas
City in the conference semi-finals, having already shocked the Seattle
Sounders in a penalty shootout having erased an early deficit.

  "We felt that we were in control, but as you know when you are only one
goal difference it's always complicated," Savarese said. "That goal gave us
the oxygen we needed in order to stay a little calmer."

  "The work from the players from beginning to end was remarkable."

  Thanks to Colombian Moreno, Savarese didn't have to call on star Sebastian
Blanco, who was available but didn't start as he continues to recover from a
hamstring injury.

  Portland, who ousted Western Conference top seeds Colorado in the second
round of the playoffs, are in the MLS Cup Final for the third time. They won
the title in 2015 with a win over Columbus Crew and fell to Atlanta in 2018.

  Next weekend they'll host the championship match for the first time against
the winner of Sunday's Eastern Conference Final between NYCFC and
Philadelphia Union.

  NYCFC upset the top-seeded New England Revolution in a penalty shootout to
reach the conference final in Philadelphia, where the hosts will be
scrambling after 11 Union players -- including five regular starters -- were
listed on Saturday as out due to Covid-19 protocols.

  "Our players have worked tirelessly to get to this point and I know they
will be brave even in the adversity that we are facing right now," Union
coach Jim Curtin said Saturday.BSS/AFP