The Whitecaps nearly widened their series lead to 2-0 in the second minute when a free kick from just outside the Timbers box by Tony Donatelli required a diving save from Josh Wicks as the shot was headed to just inside the right post but was parried wide.

The Whitecaps would hold most of the possession for the next ten minutes, but the next good scoring chance would be for the home side when in the 15th minute, a cross from Andrew Gregor found Shaun Higgins wide open eight yards out from the far post, but his gold opportunity would go begging as Higgins’ shot was high and wide.

One minute later, the Whitecaps would have another good chance when Donatelli was wide open about 25 yards out, but his shot was wide left. Portland’s Bryan Jordan would have a similar look at the Whitecaps goal in the 24th minute, but his shot was over the crossbar.

In the 27th minute, the Timbers would cancel out the Whitecaps lead from Friday when after a Gregor corner kick, a header from Cameron Knowles was off the crossbar, but Justin Thompson was there to head in the rebound, which did not reach the back of the net but was called over the line by the assistant referee, and the Timbers had a 1-0 lead, and the playoff aggregate was level at 1-1.

The Whitecaps had a good chance to re-take the aggregate lead in the 35th minute when a high bounce off the turf fooled the Portland defense, and Eduardo Sebrango’s shot from the top of the box was stopped by the face of Justin Thompson.

They would get another good chance on a header off a corner kick, but it was right at the Timbers keeper and easily saved.

Just before the half, the Timbers would have several good chances inside the Whitecaps box, with shots by Justin Thompson, Jaime Ambriz, and Luke Kreamalmeyer all requiring blocks by defenders, or in the last case a diving save by Whitecaps keeper Matt Nelson in order to keep the Timbers from taking the aggregate lead. The half would end with the Timbers leading 1-0, and the playoffs tied 1-1 on aggregate.

Two minutes into the second half, the Timbers had a great chance to take the aggregate lead on a counterattack when Ambriz was wide open, only needing a pass from Scot Thompson into his run to have a one-on-one with the Vancouver keeper, but the pass was behind Ambriz and he had to retreat to get the ball and the threat was ended.

In the 58th minute, a chip into the Whitecaps box caused trouble for Nelson, as he came out to the edge of the ball and had to release it before leaving the box, and it was a very close call as to whether he released before leaving the box, but the referee ruled he had released the ball before completely crossing the line and the ball was cleared.

Vancouver now controlled much of the run of play as the Timbers were still keeping most players behind the ball, looking for a counterattack. The Whitecaps nearly took the playoff aggregate lead in the 67th minute when Steve Kindel made a nice diagonal run into the box but his shot from only a few yards out at a tight angle was into the side netting.

The Timbers would make that missed chance more costly just three minutes later when a pass from Martin Nash was intercepted by Higgins, who found Gregor with the pass, and the Timbers midfielder was left wide open and had time to measure up a shot from 25 yards out, and hit a dipping shot that hit right in front of the Whitecaps keeper, and he was not able to smother the shot and it bounced over him and into the net to give the Timbers a 2-0 lead, and a 2-1 series aggregate lead.

In the 76 minute, Vancouver’s Alfredo Valente had a good look from the top of the box, but Wicks was able to make the save and push the ball wide.

But six minutes later, the Timbers would erase all doubt when a free kick from 40 yards out by Gregor was floated to the far post for Justin Thompson, whose header was off the crossbar but found Ambriz wide open a few yards from the far post, and he dove down to head the ball into the net and the Timbers had surged to a 3-0 lead, and a 3-1 playoff aggregate.

A few seconds later the Whitecaps had a chance to pull one back when Donatelli was open near the far post but his shot was wide right. On the ensuing corner kick a shot from Jeff Clarke from the top of the box hit off Tommy Poltl right in front of Wicks, but the Timbers keeper was able to recover the free ball. In the 87th minute, Jason Jordan had a good look from near the top of the Timbers box but his shot was right at Wicks and easily saved.

The game ended with a bit of a scuffle when Whitecaps substitute Jason McLauglin gave Leonard Giffin a two-handed shove from behind, but the match would end a few seconds later, and for the first time since 2001, the Timbers would advance to the second round of the playoffs with a 3-0 win, and a 3-1 total goal aggregate win.

Josh Wicks had four saves in the winning effort, while Matt Nelson also recorded four saves for the Whitecaps.

With the playoff series win, their first since they beat Charlotte in the first round in 2001, the Timbers now advance to play the #4 seeded Atlanta Silverbacks, who knocked out the Rochester Raging Rhinos by a 3-2 aggregate score.