MLS
Rapids and Timbers to play in first ever MLS Thanksgiving Day game
For the first time in the history of Major League Soccer there will be a Thanksgiving Day playoff match, with the Colorado Rapids hosting the Portland Timbers.
The second round of the postseason is set to start on 25 November and for the first time in the history of the league there will be an MLS Cup playoff Thanksgiving Day match. The Colorado Rapids will host the Portland Timbers at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park after getting a first-round bye for finishing in first place in the West.
Biggest match in club’s history
“We’re incredibly excited about the fact that we’re going to be in this on national TV,” Rapids general manager Pádraig Smith said. “One of the exciting things for us is to have the first-ever (MLS) game on Thanksgiving and to be able to do that in front of a packed house at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park with our supporters.
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“It gives us an incredible advantage on the field and then, for some folks around the country, they’ll get the opportunity to see how good this team is and how they’ve developed and grown into a team that deserves the number one spot in the west,” he added.
The Rapids have been in the league for 26 years and the winner will advance to the next round, so this is the biggest match in the club's history. The organization wants to thank the community for their commitment all these years and the bosses announced that they will donate over 30 meals to the Food Bank of the Rockies for each fan in attendance.