Sounders FC plays at home just once in a span of 48 days during April and May. The good news for Seattle fans, though, is that the lone home game is against Portland and that every matchup between these teams in 2014 was a very exciting one.
The Rave Green went 3-0-1 versus the Timbers last season – including a victory in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – and averaged more than three goals per game in those contests. Here are three positional battles to keep an eye on in Sunday night’s match at CenturyLink Field.
Osvaldo Alonso vs. Diego Chara
Two of the top defensive midfielders in MLS, Alonso and Chara will need to be up to the task on Sunday for their respective teams to be successful. Last weekend, Alonso went the full 90 minutes for the second straight game, which suggests he is close to fully recovered from his offseason groin surgery. Similar to Alonso with the Sounders, Chara has been a crucial part of Portland’s midfield since the club’s inaugural season, as the former Designated Player has played more minutes for the Timbers than any other player in team history. Chara is also one of three current Timbers who have scored multiple goals against Seattle in MLS play.
Clint Dempsey vs. Adam Kwarasey
As the Timbers starting goalkeeper, Kwarasey has three shutouts and a 1.00 goals against average after seven matches. He won MLS Save of the Week for stopping Khiry Shelton’s shot in the waning moments of Portland’s 1-0 win over New York City FC last weekend. As you might remember, Kwarasey is also the keeper Dempsey scored on 30 seconds into the United States’ win over Ghana at the FIFA World Cup last summer. And seeing as Dempsey has three goals and three assists in his first four matches this season, it will be another challenging task for Kwarasey to stop the Sounders FC forward on Sunday.
Brad Evans vs. Darlington Nagbe
Evans and the Sounders have never lost a regular-season game to the Timbers at home. Sunday night, the captain will be without his usual centerback partner, as reigning MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall is serving a one-game suspension for foul play in last weekend’s win over the Colorado Rapids. Head Coach Sigi Schmid said on Friday that Zach Scott would replace Marshall in the starting lineup. With midfielders Diego Valeri and Will Johnson sidelined due to injury, Nagbe is one of the main attacking players that Evans and Scott need to be aware of on Sunday. Although he has yet to score this season, Nagbe leads the Timbers with a pair of assists.
