MLS Cup Playoffs: RSL heading to Portland with two-goal edge

Real Salt Lake had the Portland Timbers’ number all regular season and nothing changed in the playoffs. Despite giving up the opening goal, RSL crushed the Timbers, 4-2, in the first leg of the Western Conference final and only a stoppage time tally by Frederic Piquionne kept Portland in the tie. Still, RSL has themselves a two-goal advantage over a team they have dominated and if they can make it through 90 more minutes, will be MLS Cup-bound for the second time in five years.

Before each game in the MLS Cup Playoffs, we ask five questions. Here’s how the game answered them.

Kickoff is at 9 pm ET from Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah. You can catch it on ESPN in the United States.

• Timbers have a big hurdle to clear in RSL

The Timbers got here by crushing their rivals Seattle, going up 5-1 on aggregate at one point. The Sounders scored two goals late in the second leg to make the tie look closer than it was because the Timbers absolutely demolished them and at no point did it look like Portland might actually go out.

If RSL wants a chance at their second MLS Cup in club history, though, they will have to change a trend. Portland is still the higher seed and so far in the West, the higher seed has reigned supreme.

Even during the Timbers’ relative struggles this year, they’ve alway looked organized and confident. Well, against everyone other than RSL.

In the first meeting between the two teams -- which criminally didn’t come until Aug. 7 in the Open Cup -- RSL scored a well-contested 2-1 victory in which the Timbers’ only goal came in the 90th minute.