Following a 53-day break during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Seattle Sounders returned to MLS action on Thursday night and fell 5-1 to the Portland Timbers at Lumen Field. A Kelvin Kelsy brace and goals from Kamal Miller, Cole Bassett and Alexander Aravena led the way for the visitors, while Hassani Dotson scored for Seattle.
The Sounders thought they had taken the lead in the fifth minute when Paul Rothrock smashed a spilled rebound from goalkeeper James Pantemis into the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The Timbers took the lead against the run of play in the 19th minute when Jimer Fory clipped a ball over the Sounders defense for an onrushing Kelsy, who used the ball’s momentum to redirect it over a diving Andrew Thomas and into the back of the net.
Thomas came up with a big save in the 22nd minute to keep the deficit at one when he denied David Da Costa’s effort from a tight angle on the end line that looked to sneak in the near post.
Thomas was called on yet again a minute later when Antony cut inside from 25 yards out and hit a deflected shot that the Sounders goalkeeper parried over the crossbar.
Seattle nearly equalized in the 29th minute when Pantemis came out to deny a close-range shot from Kalani Kossa-Rienzi. The Sounders got a second bite of the apple on the ensuing deflection that fell to Snyder Brunell, but his goal-bound shot was headed away off the line by Miller.
Portland was inches away from adding a second in the 43rd minute when an Ari Lassiter free kick from 25 yards out bent around the Sounders wall and ricocheted off the far post.
Miller doubled the Timbers’ lead in the 56th minute off a free kick. Lassiter sent a ball to the far post for Brandon Bye, who headed the cross into the path of Miller, who dinked it past Thomas on the goal’s doorstep.
Bassett added a third in the 60th minute on a counterattack led by Da Costa. The Portuguese winger cut inside and found Bassett, who finished with his left foot with a shot that deflected off Nouhou and slid under Thomas.
Portland scored its fourth in the 63rd minute when Antony drove down the left flank and tried to pick out the far post, but Thomas dove to paw it away with his left hand. Kelsy was there to tap in the rebound for his second goal of the evening.
Seattle forced Pantemis into a couple strong saves but couldn’t find the breakthrough. The Sounders were then initially awarded a penalty in the 80th minute when Rothrock was fouled by Antony, but it was deemed to be outside the penalty area upon Video Review.
Peter Kingston did well to beat his defender inside the box in the 86th minute, but Pantemis denied his left-footed attempt. Dotson then rose for a beautiful header on Albert Rusnák’s ensuing corner, redirecting it deftly to the back post to get Seattle on the score sheet.
Portland added a fifth in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Da Costa drove to the end line and cut a ball back for Aravena, who deposited his goal from a few yards out.
Seattle will finish the evening sixth in the Western Conference with 24 points from 14 matches. The Sounders will have the weekend to regroup before visiting Austin FC on Wednesday (5:30 p.m. PT; Apple TV).
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Home rarity
The Sounders conceded five times at home for the first time in their MLS era. Seattle had allowed four goals just twice at Lumen Field with the last coming almost 13 years when they fell 4-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Oct. 9, 2013.
Defensive blip
Before allowing five on Thursday, the Sounders entered the evening as the joint-best defensive team in MLS with just 11 goals allowed in 13 matches.
Dotson bags his first
Federal Way, Wash., native Dotson scored his first goal in Rave Green for his hometown club since joining from Minnesota United this past offseason.
