MATCH RECAP: Sounders FC Drops 3-0 Home Result to Archrival Portland

SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC (8-6-2, 26 points) fell 3-0 at home to the Portland Timbers (6-6-8, 26 points) on Saturday afternoon at Lumen Field. Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Santiago Moreno and Dairon Asprilla scored for the visitors, in a match that saw the Rave Green celebrate its 2022 Concacaf Champions League title in front of 47,722 fans prior to the contest.

Niezgoda put the Timbers ahead in the 24th minute, receiving a cross from Sebastian Blanco for a header at the far post. It was the team-leading seventh goal of the season for Niezgoda and his first against Sounders FC in six career appearances. Blanco leads the Timbers with seven assists in 2022.

After Seattle went down to 10 men early in the second half due to a Jackson Ragen red card, the Timbers made it 2-0 via a Moreno penalty kick in the 82nd minute after Nouhou was whistled for a handball inside the area. Asprilla made it 3-0 on the counterattack minutes later with his third career goal against Seattle (including postseason).

Following today’s game, Seattle hits the road for two road fixtures in four days, first against Nashville SC on Wednesday, July 13 (5:30 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM) before heading to Chicago for a matchup against the Fire on Saturday, July 16 (5:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).

MATCH NOTES

• Sounders FC is now 8-8-2 on the season and ranks eighth in the Western Conference with 26 points. The club is averaging 1.44 points per game.

• Saturday’s match was the 115th meeting all-time between Seattle and Portland dating back to 1975 in the North American Soccer League. Despite today’s result, Sounders FC still leads the all-time series 56-44-15.

• With the win, Portland moves ahead in the 2022 Cascadia Cup standings with a three-point lead over Seattle (six points to Sounders FC’s three). The Rave Green have claimed the last three Cascadia titles, an annual competition between Major League Soccer’s three Pacific Northwest clubs (including Vancouver Whitecaps FC).

• The home side in this rivalry has won only two of the last 16 regular-season meetings between the Timbers and Sounders FC. Seattle has not beaten Portland on home turf since May 27, 2017.

• Portland extends its season-long unbeaten run to five matches (three wins and two draws).

• Today’s result marks just the second time in MLS play that Seattle has lost to Portland by a three-goal margin (including postseason play).

• At home in 2022 Seattle is now 5-4-1 in MLS play and 9-4-2 in all competitions this season (MLS regular season, Concacaf Champions League and U.S. Open Cup).

• Raúl Ruidíaz returned to the starting lineup in his first start since June 14 vs. Vancouver after suffering a hamstring injury. The Peruvian is tied for the team lead with five MLS goals this season. 

• Xavier Arreaga (left hamstring strain), João Paulo (right ACL tear), and Obed Vargas (lower back stress fracture) were out today due to injury.

• Sounders FC deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation with six changes from last weekend’s match at Toronto FC: Stefan Frei, Kelyn Rowe, Albert Rusnák, Cristian Roldan, Jordan Morris and Raúl Ruidíaz replace Stefan Cleveland, Jimmy Medranda, Danny Leyva, Dylan Teves, Léo Chú and Fredy Montero.

MATCH SUMMARY 

Seattle Sounders FC 0 – Portland Timbers 3

Saturday, July 9, 2022 

Venue: Lumen Field 

Referee: Chris Penso

Assistants: Kyle Atkins, Jose Da Silva 

Fourth Official: Mark Allatin

VAR: Daniel Radford 

Attendance: 47,722 

Weather: 71 degrees and sunny 

SCORING SUMMARY 

POR – Jaroslaw Niezgoda (Sebastián Blanco) 24’ 

POR – Santiago Moreno (penalty) 82’

POR – Dairon Asprilla (Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Santiago Moreno) 85’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY 

POR – Eryk Williamson (caution) 6’ 

SEA – Jackson Ragen (caution) 45+2’ 

SEA – Jackson Ragen (caution, ejection) 46’ 

POR – Yimmi Chara (caution) 57’ 

SEA – Cristian Roldan (caution) 70’ 

SEA – Nouhou (caution) 81’ 

POR – Dairon Asprilla (caution) 85’ 

POR – Diego Chara (caution) 87’ 

LINEUPS & STATS 

Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei, Alex Roldan (Léo Chú 81’), Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Jackson Ragen, Nouhou, Kelyn Rowe (Josh Atencio 64’), Albert Rusnák (Jimmy Medranda 75’), Cristian Roldan, Nico Lodeiro, Jordan Morris, Raúl Ruidíaz (Will Bruin 81’) 

Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Abdoulaye Cissoko, Danny Leyva, Dylan Teves, Fredy Montero 

Total shots: 16 

Shots on goal: 3 

Fouls: 12 

Offside: 5 

Corner-kicks: 8 

Saves: 5 

Portland Timbers – Jaroslaw Niezgoda (Felipe Mora 90’ + 1’), Yimmi Chara (Marvin Loría 75’), Sebastián Blanco (Dairon Asprilla 74’), Santiago Moreno (Bill Tuiloma 90’+1’), Eryk Williamson (Cristhian Paredes 63’), Diego Chara, Claudio Bravo, Dario Zuparic, Larrys Mabiala, Josecarlos Van Rankin, Aljaz Ivacic

Substitutes not used: David Bingham, Pablo Bonilla, Zac McGraw, David Ayala

Total shots: 11 

Shots on goal: 8 

Fouls: 10 

Offside: 0 

Corner-kicks: 0 

Saves: 2