The Seattle Sounders can end a five-match winless run in MLS play versus the Portland Timbers when the two sides square off at Lumen Field Saturday in the final Cascadia Cup clash between both sides this season.
A goal in the latter stages on Wednesday gave Seattle their first victory since the Leagues Cup, 2-1 over Austin FC, while the Timbers ended a four-match winless run in all competitions thanks to a 2-1 victory versus Real Salt Lake.
Match preview
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Seattle have not looked like the dominant side of old throughout this campaign, but heading down the home stretch of the regular season, a return to the playoffs in 2023 appears more and more likely.
Brian Schmetzer's team have had their share of nail-biting results domestically this year, with over half of their regular-season encounters being decided by a goal or fewer (19 of 27), while the Sounders have only wound up on the losing end in five of those instances.
The Sounders have been uncharacteristically poor at home of late, winning just one of their previous six regular-season encounters at Lumen Field, suffering four defeats in the Emerald City over this campaign, one fewer than a season ago.
Defeating Portland at home has proven to be exceedingly difficult for the Rave Green, who have only claimed three points in their last eight regular-season meetings against them at Lumen Field, while they have not beaten the Timbers domestically in Seattle since 2017 (1-0).
They need just one more point from their final nine regular-season contests to match their total from 2022, when they missed the playoffs for the only time in club history.
Another triumph this weekend would equal their total for wins from a year ago, with the Sounders currently on 11 this season in what is turning into a close battle for second place in the Western Conference, where they are level on points with Los Angeles FC, though only three points currently separate themselves in third from Real Salt Lake in sixth.
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Portland will begin the month of September in a similar position from a year ago, on the outside of the playoff picture in the West, four points behind that line.
Miles Joseph picked up his first victory as interim boss in midweek, as his Timbers found the mark on their only two shots on target versus RSL, scoring the opener after 13 minutes.
It was only the second victory at home for this club since June, while their form on the road has been relatively poor all year with Portland suffering seven defeats in the 2023 campaign, tied for the third-most in the league.
Conceding one goal as they did on Wednesday is an achievement for this club, who have looked unstable at the back throughout the campaign, tied with Charlotte FC for the most goals allowed in MLS (42), with the Timbers conceding three or more times in five road outings this season.
Coming into an intimidating environment such as Seattle, however, does not seem to faze this side defensively, as Portland have held the Sounders off the scoresheet in three successive visits to Lumen Field, holding them to just one shot on target last June in a 0-0 draw.
The Timbers have scored in six straight MLS home fixtures, netting nine times over that stretch, but have not been as potent on the road, with only nine of their 30 regular-season strikes coming when they were the visitors, failing to find the mark on six occasions.
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Team News
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Cristian Roldan might be a question mark for Seattle again this weekend after missing their previous encounter due to concussion protocol, Kelyn Rowe was ruled out of their midweek clash with a right quad strain, while Dylan Teves was sidelined because of a left hamstring injury.
Jordan Morris scored his first goal domestically on Wednesday since May 27, while Albert Rusnak fired home the winner in the 90th minute, the first for him since July 1.
In their previous meeting versus Portland this season, Stefan Frei only faced two shots and saved them both as he collected a clean sheet, with the Swiss goalkeeper currently tied with former Timbers shot-stopper Steve Clark for the most shutouts in the league this year (11).
Portland were without Eryk Williamson and Jaroslaw Niezgoda for their previous encounter because of right knee sprains, while David Ayala was also unavailable having injured his left knee.
Evander, Juan David Mosquera, Santiago Moreno and Felipe Mora have each had a goal contribution in back-to-back games, with Moreno and Mora finding the back of the net versus Salt Lake, while David Bingham has started the last two matches between the sticks after Aljaz Ivacic conceded five times in a loss to the Houston Dynamo (5-0).
Ivacic has not conceded in his last two starts for the Timbers in Seattle, as Niezgoda had a goal and an assist when they defeated the Sounders at Lumen Field last year (3-0), with Moreno and Dairon Asprilla also finding the mark on that occasion.
Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; A. Roldan, Gomez, Arreaga, Tolo; Rusnak, Paulo; Vargas, Lodeiro, Chu; Ruidiaz
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Bingham; Mosquera, McGraw, Zuparic, Bravo; Paredes, Acosta, Evander; Moreno, Mora, Asprilla
We say: Seattle Sounders 1-0 Portland Timbers
Even though the majority of their results against Portland lately have not gone their way, the Sounders appear to be trending upward, while the Timbers' inconsistent defensive efforts have us leaning towards the Rave Green finally getting the better of their Pacific Northwest rivals.
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Top tip
Joel Lefevre
