Two very different franchises will square off on Saturday evening with one goal in mind, to lift the 2018 MLS Cup.

Atlanta United, in their second MLS season, welcomes the Portland Timbers to Mercedes-Benz Stadium looking to claim its first trophy of its early history. Meanwhile, the Timbers are looking to cap off a strong season under first-year head coach, Giovanni Savarese.

The Five Stripes will hope to send off head coach Tata Martino in a winning fashion, with the Argentine likely to next join the Mexican National Team. Josef Martinez and Miguel Almiron lead the deadly Atlanta attack, while veterans Jeff Larentowicz, Michael Parkhurst, and Brad Guzan headline the back end.

Portland has knocked off stiff competition along the way, while using talented midfielders Diego Valeri and Sebastian Blanco to lead the attack. Diego Chara, Jorge Villafana, and Liam Ridgewell will be tasked to shutdown the Five Stripes dynamic attacking front while pestering Atlanta’s midfield as well.

For those looking for some pregame reading, check out the SBI Pregame Tailgate for a look back at the week that was. The match is set to kickoff around 8:08 p.m. ET and will be shown on Fox and Univision.

The SBI staff will be offering updates and analysis in the comments section below, so feel free to follow along, and as always, please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions below.

Enjoy the action.