Though Portland has a much easier road to an MLS Cup berth than the Red Bulls, both teams head into Thursday's MLS playoff decide as big underdogs
The New York Red Bulls and Portland Timbers will both head into their MLS conference finals deciders on Thursday as underdogs to secure passage to the MLS Cup final, but their paths to the championship could not be any further apart.
The Red Bulls put together the best regular season in MLS history, and posted the best home record in the league, but Sunday's 3-0 loss in Atlanta has the Red Bulls facing the kind of long odds few could have expected when the playoffs began.