Former Bull Attinella to Play for MLS Cup with Portland
ATLANTA, Dec. 5, 2018–Former Bull Jeff Attinella (2007-2010), starting goalkeeper for the Portland Timbers, will compete for the MLS Cup on Saturday night when Portland takes on Atlanta in the championship match at 8 p.m. ET in Atlanta.
This will be Attinella's second MLS Cup appearance, when he and Real Salt Lake fell in the championship game in 2013. Portland will be vying for its second MLS title. Winner takes all in one match on Saturday night and a winner will be determined, even if by penalty kicks.
The 6-2 goalkeeper has played and started in 22 matches for the Timbers, amassing seven shutouts on the season and earning 64 saves on a 10-5-5 record. In the postseason, he has made 17 saves and allowed seven goals with a 3-1-1 record.
"It's going to be awesome," Attinella said to MLS.com. "We're going to enjoy every minute of this week, every minute that we're on the field. The crowd's going to be electric. It's just going to be a really, really fun game to be a part of."
Attinella played four years with the Bulls and earned NSCAA first team All-America honors as well as Big East Goalkeeper of the Year in 2009. He was selected by Real Salt Lake in the 2011 SuperDraft, but returned home to Tampa to play for the Rowdies in 2011. He was added back to Real's roster in 2013, where he was on reserve for Salt Lake City in the 2013 MLS Cup. With USF, he was a Hermann Trophy and Senior CLASS Award candidate, and owns the USF school record for career shutouts with 22.
The match will be broadcast nationally on FOX, FoxSportsGo, and UniMás at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 8.
