(12) Portland Timbers (2,5,4,10 points) vs (11) Seattle Sounders (2,5,4, 10 points)
Sunday May 12, 2024 KO 1:45 PM PST/ 3:45 PM EST
Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
Portland Timbers Briefly
Defense wins games, but somehow the troubled Portland Timbers aren’t displaying a pristine defensive game, and that has sent the team into a slump and not winning since their last game on the road at NYCFC.
Don’t blame Phil Neville as the former Red Devil great is a man looking forward to see his side win a number of games, but defensively their game isn’t adding up and, in the end, results speak louder than words.
As manager, Neville is trying to find the right winning formula, in the end he comes short if not his team not able to display their best game on opening day against the Colorado Rapids–the most improved in the West.
What’s the matter with this team? They don’t show any interest in winning, improvement, and trying to make a run in the end to the postseason, and lately lacking passion and ambition.
Building up around Kamal Miller will be the most appropriate of issues, after all Dario Zuparic is back and suiting up and he will be the ideal company with Miller as the starting center backs.
This team really needs a dramatic turnaround to try and salvage its campaign as well put everything in their game to try and make it much better, as this team has a lot of talent and it must be taken advantage.
After eleven games, Neville is fed up for the state of complacency from his players not giving up their best and being in a comfort one lacking confidence as well a sense of urgency as well, with the sense of cruising.
That doesn’t add up to a team accustomed to deliver memorable moments since their inception in Major League Soccer. Santiago Moreno is the only player performing and giving up his best.
Still, there is a number of games ahead and this team needs to perform as well step up its game for the better. After all, I give Neville an A for his all-around effort in trying to put a winning side in the field.
Photo Credit Seattle Sounders F.C.
Seattle Sounders Briefly
This has been a season not envisioned by Sounders manager Brian Schmetzer so far as this team has had as bad a start since this team’s inception in Major League Soccer.
It’s a new beginning and the team still needs to adapt and see if their newly acquired playmaker Pedro De La Vega. Will he be able to adapt to this league? Lately, the man hasn’t seen any action being on the IL.
After last week’s draw at home against the LA Galaxy, this result turned out to be providential for the Rave Greens not displaying their best football in 2024. Can this be considered as the result of missing Nico Lodeiro?
Maybe, but in the end this team were accustomed to see them shine in the course of the seasons these have played alongside displaying a one-of-a-kind football, but we can expect the Sounders faithful a long season.
Both sides aren’t displaying their best game and we are looking forward to a Cascadia Derby–considered one of the best in all of Major League Soccer–not to have the most fireworks. Will it become exciting? I don’t have any doubts!
I still believe it will be in a very contested Cascadia Derby and I believe that both Timbers and Sounder somehow will delight us with another competed and fought off.
Meetings
09/22/2023 Seattle Sounders 2-2 Portland Timbers
06/03/2023 Seattle Sounders 0-0 Portland Timbers
04/15/2023 Portland Timbers 4-1 Seattle Sounders
Forecast
The way the Timbers and Sounders playing lately this affair can go to anyone!
