MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015
Broadcast/Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. broadcast/2 p.m. kickoff (Pacific)
Location: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Wash.)
Forecast: Chance of showers, 74 degrees
Referee: Alan Kelly
Assistant Referees: Corey Parker, Eric Weisbrod Fourth Official: Allen Chapman
National TV: ESPN
Talent: Adrian Healey (play-by-play), Taylor Twellman (analyst), Allison Williams (sideline)
English Radio: 750 The Game (KXTG 750AM, 102.9FM)
Talent: Keith Bleyer (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5FM, 1150 AM)
Talent: Josue del Castillo (play-by-play), Ozkar Ramos (analyst)
MATCH PREVIEW
Sunday’s Cascadia derby marks the fourth meeting between Pacific Northwest rivals Portland and Seattle in all competitions this season. The Timbers have earned back-to-back victories against Seattle, taking a 3-1 win after extra time in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 16 at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila before then logging a 4-1 win in league play on June 28 at Providence Park. The Timbers enter Sunday’s match unbeaten in four consecutive matches following a 2-2 home draw against the Houston Dynamo on Aug. 15. Seattle faces Portland following a midweek road match against Honduran side C.D. Olimpia in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Sounders FC currently occupy the sixth position in the Western Conference standings, five points behind the Timbers in fourth place.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Behind second-half goals from midfielder Darlington Nagbe and forward Lucas Melano, the Portland Timbers overcame a two-goal halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against the Houston Dynamo in front of a sellout crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on Aug. 15. Melano, who registered his first goal as a member of the Timbers and also tallied an assist in the match, netted the game-tying goal with a well-placed, right-footed volley from near the penalty spot off a pinpoint assist from midfielder Diego Valeri in the 86th minute. Trailing 2-0 in the 76th minute, Nagbe netted Portland’s opening goal to trim the deficit.
LAST TIME VS. SEATTLE
The Timbers registered 11 shots on goal, while holding Cascadia-rival Seattle Sounders FC to just one as forward Fanendo Adi tallied a second-half brace and midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Rodney Wallace each contributed a goal and an assist in a comprehensive, 4-1 win in front of a sellout crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on June 28.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
One of North American soccer’s longest and most heated rivalries, the Pacific Northwest derby between the Timbers and Sounders dates back to the 1975 North American Soccer League (NASL) season, Portland’s first year as a professional club. The two sides first played each other on May 2, 1975, in Portland’s first match in the NASL, with the Sounders taking a 1-0 win in front of 8,131 fans at a rain-soaked Civic Stadium (now Providence Park) in Portland.
Sunday’s match marks the 92nd all-time meeting between the clubs. The Timbers have registered an overall record of 33-46-12 all-time against Seattle and a record of 6-7-4 during the MLS era, in all competitions.
Sunday’s game at CenturyLink Field is the fourth meeting between the bitter rivals across all competitions in 2015 and is the final regular-season match this season. Portland has earned consecutive wins across all competitions, beating Seattle 3-1 on June 16 in the U.S. Open Cup and 4-1 on June 28 in regular-season play.
SCOUTING SOUNDERS FC
Seattle enters Sunday’s match on short rest following a midweek CONCACAF Champions League match against C.D. Olimpia in Honduras. Head coach Sigi Schmid’s squad enters Sunday’s Cascadia-rivalry match with just two wins in their last 11 matches (2-9-0), however Sounders FC have compiled an 8-4-1 (.654) record at CenturyLink Field this season. Expecting a large crowd for Sunday’s rivalry match, Seattle has lost just once at home when playing before 45,000 or more fans. Sounders FC are lead by forward Obafemi Martins with nine goals and four assists in 13 games, while forward Clint Dempsey has registered seven goals and six assists in 13 appearances.
ROAD SUCCESS
Portland enters Sunday’s match unbeaten in consecutive road matches, including a dramatic, 1-0 win against Real Salt Lake on Aug. 15 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. This season, Portland has registered the third-most road wins (4) in MLS, while also recording four clean sheets away from home.
LATE-GAME FOCUS
The Timbers are tied for first in the league with 14 goals scored in the final 15 minutes of matches this season. Portland has scored 19 goals in the final 30 minutes, while logging 21 of their 28 goals in the second half through 26 games this season.
CREATING CHANCES
The Timbers entered the week second overall in MLS with 277 chances created (including assists). Portland is behind just Columbus Crew SC (286). Midfielder Darlington Nagbe ranks first in the league with 50 chances created from open play.
KEEPING CLEAN SHEETS
Timbers goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey ranks first in MLS with 11 clean sheets in 25 appearances this season. Kwarasey, who is in his first season with the Timbers, ranks tied for second in wins (11) and tied for third in minutes played (2,250). Additionally, Kwarasey ranks fifth in the league with a 1.08 goals-against average.
IRONMEN
So far this season, the Timbers have had four players (Adam Kwarasey, Liam Ridgewell, Alvas Powell and Jorge Villafaña) play at least 2,200 minutes. Each one of the quartet ranks in the top 15 for most minutes played. Entering the week, Portland is the only team in MLS with more than three players with 2,200 minutes or more.
LAST 14 GAMES
Over its last 14 matches, Portland has compiled the second-most points of any team (8-3-3, 27pts) in the league entering this week’s matches. Only the LA Galaxy (9-3-2, 29pts) have earned more points over that span.
ON THE NATIONAL STAGE
The Timbers know how to put on a show for national television - combining with opponents for an average of 3.04 goals per game on national broadcasts since the 2011 season.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
With his next assist, midfielder Jack Jewsbury will move into a tie for 10th place overall on the Timbers all-time career assists chart with Timbers Ring of Honor member Jimmy Conway (1978-80). Jewsbury currently sits in 11th place with 15 assists for Portland since 2011. Additionally, Jewsbury’s next appearance will mark his 325th career MLS game. Jewsbury ranks 17th all-time in MLS in career appearances.
Midfielder Diego Valeri has compiled 78 career points (23g, 32a) during his Timbers MLS career and is just one point shy of tying NASL Timbers great Willie Anderson (79pts) for fifth place all-time on the Timbers leaderboard across all eras in career points.
With his next goal, forward Fanendo Adi will tie the Timbers MLS single-season club record for goals in a season (11), set by midfielder Diego Valeri in 2014. Adi tallied his 10th goal in a 1-0 win against Chicago on Aug. 7 at Providence Park. The single-season club record across all eras is 18 goals scored by Fadi Afash in 2002. Adi’s next goal also will be his 20th career regular-season goal for Portland.
CASCADIA CUP STANDINGS
Team |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
Pts. |
GF |
GA |
Diff. |
VAN |
5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
SEA |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
4 |
7 |
-3 |
POR |
5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
1 |
