Bruised and Battered Sounders fall to the Timbers

Portland Timbers 2-Seattle Sounders 1

The Seattle Sounders traveled to Providence Park to take on the Timbers in the first leg of the 2018 MLS Cup Western Conference Semifinals . The game started very brightly for the Sounders. In the opening minutes when the Timbers goalkeeper Jeff Attinella appeared to take down Cristian Roldan. After consulting VAR referee Ted Unkel said no penalty corner to Sounders. It didn’t take long for the Sounders to strike first blood. Rual got on the end of a Roldan cross and put a beautiful shot pass Attinella for a early lead and a important away goal.

The lead for the Sounders lasted 7 minutes as Diego splits the Sounders backline with a pass that sprung Jeremy Ebobisse who slotted the tying goal for the Timbers. Portland quickly made it 2-1 with a great effort by Sebastian Blanco who took advantage of some bad bounces of the ball and with Kelvin Leerdam all over him was able to give the Timbers the lead.

Things just got worse from there. Roldan clearly laboring from that early knock was forced to come off in the 31st minute. Waylon Francis replaced Roldan, but their injury woes continued. They were forced to make another injury sub in the 40th minute as Chad Marshall appeared to injure his knee kicking the ball up the field. Marshall was stretched right to the locker room with Roman Torres coming on for him.

The Sounders under siege were just trying to make it to half time to regroup. The Timbers with a golden chance to put the series out of reach in the first leg.

The Sounders started the second half much better with the backline stabilized and the Timbers content to play on the counter. It looked like the Sounders might be able to steal a result and head back to Seattle tied. But it was not to be. In fact the Sounders almost conceded a third. but the play was rightfully called offside. The game ends 2-1.

The series heads back to Seattle on Thursday with all to play for. Many storylines to play out. Will Marshall and Roldan be able to go in a short week? Will the Timbers playing their fourth game in 12 days feel the fatigue? Will the Timbers rue letting the Sounders off the hook by not pushing for a third goal. Will the game having to be played on Thursday because of a conflict at CenturyLink on Sunday be a factor? We shall see.