Match Details & Discussion Thread: Timbers vs. Sounders

It’s Portland. It’s Seattle. It’s the rivalry. No further into needed.

Apr 16, 2023

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These guys again, huh?

The Portland Timbers (1-4-2) are back at home to face their most hated of rivals the Seattle Sounders (5-1-1) at Providence Park, in the first meeting between the two teams since Portland clinched the Cascadia Cup last August.

Photo Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer/Portland Timbers

Storylines so far

Last year, the Timbers swept the Sounders— a fact that they as probably the highlight of 2022 for many Timbers fans. They won the Cascadia Cup for the first time since 2017 in the process, cementing one of their most dominant seasons in the nearly fifty-year rivalry between the two teams

However, Portland is coming into Saturday in pretty rough form. They are a week removed from a 1-0 loss to their other Cascadia rivals, the Vancouver Whitecaps. They managed just two (2) shots in that game, and have been held scoreless in two of their past three games.

Their offense has been abysmal, and it’s been a huge reason why Portland has had a very rough start to the 2023 season.

Seattle, on the other hand, is top of the table. They are in first place in the Western Conference, and are second in the Supporter’s Shield race. They are coming off of a dominant display over St. Louis City, and led by the revitalized play of Jordan Morris, Nicolas Lodeiro and Leo Chú they have been scoring goals for fun.

In their attempt to try to match that firepower tonight, the Timbers will have a few more bodies as they steadily become healthier. Marvin Loria and Cristhian Paredes are fully available for Portland, and Evander and Franck Boli are set to play larger roles tonight.

Despite the improved availability report, the Timbers will unfortunately be without Eryk Williamson, who is out for the season after suffering an ACL injury.

The Timbers will have to be at their best tonight if they hope to get a result — but there is perhaps no better opportunity to turn a season around than against your rival, as the Timbers have proven in years past.