PORTLAND, OREGON- Seattle Sounders FC (11-9-5, 38 points) earned a full three points at Providence Park in primetime action on Sunday night against Portland Timbers (10-7-7, 37 points). In the 102nd all-time meeting between the two organizations dating back to 1975, Seattle battled to a hard-fought victory, moving the club's MLS regular-season record against the Timbers to 10-7-6 since 2011. The win also advances Seattle's club-best winning streak to seven games, which now ties the club with 2012 Sporting Kansas City for a single-season league record in the post-shootout era. Additionally, Brian Schmetzer's side is now unbeaten in 10 straight games, having not lost since June 30. The win moves Seattle above the red line for playoff qualification, as the club currently sits fifth in the Western Conference. Sounders FC also moves into the lead for the 2018 Cascadia Cup with six points, three points ahead of Portland and Vancouver, with one match remaining.
A back-and-forth first half failed to produce a goal for either side, though both teams enjoyed chances during the first 45 minutes of play. Seattle maintained 52.4 percent of the possession in the first half at Providence Park.
The visitors finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the 76th minute on a Portland own goal by Julio Cascante. Seattle centerback Kim Kee-hee initiated the action with an attacking run up the right flank before sending a low, dangerous cross in front of the goal mouth. In an attempt to clear the ball from reaching the feet of Raúl RuidÃaz making a far post run, Cascante inadvertently back-heeled the ball into his own net, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead and the eventual game-winner.
Sounders FC kept the Timbers off the scoresheet for the remainder of the match for its second straight shutout, securing a crucial win despite being out-shot 22-6 and having just two corner kicks to Portland's nine. The win was the Rave Green's first of the season against Portland in three meetings, having previously lost on May 13 and June 30.
Having tied the MLS single-season post-shootout era record of seven straight victories, Seattle prepares to face the only other team to achieve that mark in 2012, as Sporting Kansas City visits the Emerald City on Saturday, September 1. Riding a four-match winning streak of its own, Sporting comes into CenturyLink Field in second place in the West with 45 points. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT, with JOEtv carrying the match regionally throughout Western Washington, UniMás and Univision Deportes Network covering the contest nationally in Spanish, as well as a digital broadcast via Twitter.
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders FC is now 11-9-5 on the season, and currently sits above the red line at fifth in the Western Conference with 38 points. Seattle is level with LA Galaxy on points (38), but holds the total-wins tiebreaker.
- Sounders FC extends its club record with seven consecutive wins, matching the single-season league record in the post-shootout era. The only other club to win seven in a row is Sporting Kansas City, who did it to start the 2012 campaign.
- The result extends Seattle's unbeaten streak to 10 games (8-0-2), dating back to July 4 at Colorado. The run is the longest spell without a loss this season, and sits alone as the club's second-longest unbeaten streak in club history. The longest unbeaten streak in club history is 13 games (6-0-7) from June 21-September 23 of last season.
- The win vaults the Rave Green into the lead for the 2018 Cascadia Cup with six points from three matches (2-1-0), three points ahead of Portland and Vancouver. Sounders FC has one Cascadia match remaining in 2018 - a September 15 clash at Whitecaps FC - while both Portland and Vancouver have two fixtures remaining for the regional trophy.
- Sounders FC is now 10-7-6 all-time against the Timbers in MLS regular season play, with Sunday's win marking the first for Seattle in Portland since August 24, 2014.
- Sunday marked the 102nd all-time meeting between the two sides dating back to 1975, with Seattle holding a 51-37-14 advantage.
- On the season, Sounders FC is now 5-5-3 on the road, earning 18 of its 38 points away from CenturyLink Field. The club has four regular-season road matches remaining in 2018.
- Stefan Frei made three saves and recorded his sixth shutout of the season on Saturday. His goals against average of 0.96 leads MLS and is currently a career high for seasons in which Frei makes at least 20 appearances.
- Seattle has allowed one goal or fewer in each of the club's 10 matches during the current unbeaten run, and its 26 goals allowed is the second-fewest in MLS this season.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Portland Timbers 0
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Venue: Providence Park
Referee: Chris Penso
Assistants: Jason White, Corey Rockwell
Fourth Official: Joseph Dickerson
VAR: Younes Marrakchi
Attendance: 21,144
Weather: 62 degrees and cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA - Own Goal (Julio Cascante) 76'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR - Diego Chara (caution) 22'
POR - Sebastian Blanco (caution) 65'
SEA - Brad Smith (caution) 65'
POR - Dairon Asprilla (caution) 87'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam (Will Bruin 59'), Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Brad Smith (Nouhou 86'); Gustav Svensson, Osvaldo Alonso - captain, Cristian Roldan, Nicolás Lodeiro, Harry Shipp (Román Torres 79'); Raúl RuidÃaz
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Alex Roldan, Jordy Delem, Henry Wingo
Total shots: 6 (Alonso, 2)
Shots on goal: 2 (Alonso/C. Roldan, 1)
Fouls: 11 (Shipp, 3)
Offside: 5 (RuidÃaz, 3)
Corner-kicks: 2 (Lodeiro, 2)
Saves: 3 (Frei, 3)
Portland Timbers - Jeff Attinella; Alvas Powell, Julio Cascante, Liam Ridgewell, Zarek Valentin; Diego Chara, Lawrence Olum (David Guzman 88'), Andy Polo (Andres Flores 79'), Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco (Dairon Asprilla 77'); Samuel Armenteros
Substitutes not used: Steve Clark, Marco Farfan, Cristhian Paredes, Bill Tuiloma
Total shots: 22 (Armenteros/Blanco, 4)
Shots on goal: 3 (Three players, 1)
Fouls: 10 (Chara, 5)
Offside: 1 (Armenteros, 1)
Corner-kicks: 9 (Valeri, 9)
Saves: 2 (Attinella, 2)
