Match Details & Discussion Thread: Timbers vs. Sounders
It’s Portland. It’s Seattle. It’s the rivalry. No further into needed.
Have a thought to share as you watch the match? Need a place to vent? Come chat about in the comments section of this thread on the Stumptown Footy Substack site!
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.
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.
Pregame reading
As mentioned, in the biggest injury blow of the season Eryk Williamson suffered a torn ACL and is out for the year.
We chatted with Sounder at Heart to help preview the game, as they answered three of our questions about Seattle’s season.
Sam previewed tonight’s game — one where the Timbers will “Give them everything we have.”
How to watch
Location: Providence Park | Portland, OR
Time: 7:39 p.m. PT
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (Free)
Lineups
Portland Timbers
https://twitter.com/TimbersFC/status/1647415733910138880?s=20
Seattle Sounders
https://twitter.com/SoundersFC/status/1647414562097102851?s=20
I keep thinking we're playing RSL. Those uniforms suck.
You get a goal, and you get a goal, and you get a goal