The energy inside Providence Park was palpable last night as the Portland Timbers hosted their rival, the Seattle Sounders. This was the 117th time these two teams have met on the pitch with the Timbers being victorious in the last three match ups.
This was the first start for Portland’s Franck Boli, a forward with 11 years international experience, and David Ayala, a young Argentenian midfielder who was acquired through the MLS U22 initiative last season. Timbers fan favorite and veteran of their first MLS season, Diego Chara, took the pitch against the Sounders for the 30th time in his career.
The Timbers Army was audibly on their feet in the old North End with a spectacular TIFO display, “Scary Storiesto Tell in the Park,” complete with pyrotechnics and smoke. Welcome to your nightmare, Seattle. Feeding off the atmosphere in the stadium, both teams took the field energized and ready to attack.
Portland tried to strike first in the 2nd minute with a left footed shot by Claudio Bravo with an assist from Dairon Asprilla, who just had knee surgery two months ago, following a corner kick. Seattle also tried to get an early goal with a shot by Nicolás Lodeiro in the 9th minute that was saved by Timbers keeper, Aljaz Ivacic.
Bravo tried again in the 17th minute with a missed left footed shot from outside the box. He was assisted by Evander, who had his own attempt in the 19th minute that went high and wide to the right of goal. By the 20th minute the pace of the match had steadied out after the initial boost of energy with both teams sharing even possession and trading light fouls without the match getting too chippy.
Raúl Ruidíaz had two attempts for Seattle in the 34th and 36th minutes that both went high of the goal. Bravo made an uncharacteristic sliding block in front of the box to prevent a Jordan Morris goal in the 38th minute. Head referee, Drew Fischer, gave his first yellow card of the match to Seattle’s João Paulo in the 44th minute.
The Timbers tried to finish the first half strong with a shot by Evander blocked in the 45+1 minute. Juan Mosquera’s one touch shot to the center of the goal with service from Cladio Bravo was saved by Seattle’s Stefan Frei. Jordan Morris took a shot from 18 yards out that was deflected then saved by a leaping one handed slap by Ivacic and the first half finished scoreless.
Portland forward, Dairon Asprilla, was on the attack to start the second half with a missed attempt in the 46th minute. Seattle’s Morris responded with a right footed shot from outside the box was saved then followed by a missed attempt by Yéimar Gómez following a set piece in the 50th.
Alex Roldán made his way into Drew Fischer’s book for his fist pounding protest over a foul in the 53rd minute for the Sounder’s second yellow of the night. Diego Chara earned the Timbers only yellow card of the match in the 58th minute for a light clip that was debatably card worthy.
The Sounders seemed to have had more energy and control of the game in the second half and capitalized on that advantage in the 58th minute when striker Raúl Ruidíaz was left wide open to receive a cross by Obed Vargas that he drilled into the back of the net. Full back, Juan Mosquera, tried for the equalizer with a right footed shot from the corner of the box that was saved by Frei in the 63rd minute.
Portland made their first substitutions of the night in the 66th bringing on Christian Paredes for Ayala a homegrown player from T2, and Nathan Fogaça, in for Evander, who is still recovering from an earlier injury.
The substitutions may have given the Timbers some fresh legs but it was a beautifully executed catch and pass by Santiago Moreno to Asprilla in the box who finished with a stunning bicycle kick that tied the game in the 71st minute. The Timbers Army was louder than they have ever been as green smoke billowed through the stadium with the sound of the chainsaw revving at their feet. There was no denying the dramatic energy shirt in the stadium.
Timbers’ coach, Giovanni Savarese, sent in forward Jaroslaw Niezgoda for Boli in the 72nd minute. On the following play Moreno sent a great ball to Juan Mosquera who’s rocket of a shot from 20 yards out curved just to the left of the goal.
It was again Moreno in the 76th minute with a long pass to Fogaça in the center of the field. He had a great first touch to move past Seattle defender Yéimar and then fought off Regan to strike mid run sending the ball to the back of the net.
The Sounders had a chance to equalize in the 78th minute when Nicolás Lodeiro’s header from the center of the box was saved in the bottom right corner. Seattle then made their first substitution of the night bringing on Rowe and Montero for Tolo and Vargas.
The Timbers were still on the attack in the 81st minute when a shot from Fogaça was stopped by Frei. Moreno charged the loose ball but his shot was also blocked by Frei, who Santi had to dive over to avoid collision in the box. The ball landed at the feet of Niezgoda who’s left footed shot from the center of the box found its way past Frie and narrowly missed Moreno, still on the ground, to put the Timber up 3-1.
Seattle made their last substitution in the 83rd minute with Leyva coming on for Rudidiaz. A header pass by Kelyn Rowe to João Paulo in the 87th minute resulted in a missed attempt just left of goal.
In the 89th minute Christian Paredes’ fast break down the center of the field opened up space for Mosquera to collect the pass and strike from the center of the goal just outside the box. The Timbers scored again just before the whistle to end the second half.
In the 5+ minutes of stoppage time Seattle had one more attempt in them with Lodeiro taking the shot in the 90+2 minute but was thwarted by Ivacic. Gio’s last move of the night was a last minute substitution bringing on defender Larrys Mabiala for Moreno. The final whistle blew with the entire stadium on their feet in celebration of the Timbers fourth victory in a row over their bitter rivals, the Seattle Sounders.