NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Portland Timbers

Timbers Fall in Hard-Fought, 2-1 Loss against Seattle Sounders FC

August 30, 2015 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


SEATTLE, Wash. - Despite controlling the majority of the match and registering a 20-6 advantage in total shots, including a 6-3 edge in shots on goal, the Portland Timbers could not overcome a two-goal, first-half deficit in a 2-1 loss against Cascadia-rival Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday afternoon before 64,358 fans at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.

The road loss snapped Portland's four-match unbeaten streak, while the Timbers (11-9-7, 40pts) remain tied for fourth place on total points (40) with Sporting Kansas City in the tight Western Conference standings with seven matches remaining on the regular-season schedule. Portland trails first-place LA Galaxy by just six points with one game in hand. The Timbers contest four of their final seven matches at home, including three of their next four, with two home games against Sporting Kansas City (Sept. 9; Oct. 3).

Trailing 2-0 at halftime, midfielder Jack Jewsbury cut the deficit in half with a goal in the 58th minute, converting a corner kick from midfielder Diego Valeri inside the goal box with a right-footed effort. The goal marked Jewsbury's third of the season, while Valeri registered an assist in a third consecutive match.

Holding Seattle (12-13-2, 38pts) without a shot on goal in the second half, Portland saw several more opportunities to level the score in the final 45 minutes, including two shots from Lucas Melano in the 68th and 78th minutes and a stoppage-time free kick by Valeri that flashed over the crossbar seconds before the final whistle.

Controlling large portions of the opening half and creating a number of quality chances, Portland conceded twice against the run of play and faced a two-goal halftime deficit. Seattle forward Obafemi Martins opened the scoring when he capitalized on a loose ball inside the penalty box and delivered a shot inside the far right post to put Sounders FC ahead in the sixth minute.

The Timbers nearly grabbed an equalizer in the 30th minute as Melano was played into a one-on-one situation with Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei, but Melano's low drive was smothered by the goalkeeper.

Despite Portland earning a 13-4 advantage on shots in the first half, Seattle doubled its lead minutes before halftime as the referee awarded a controversial penalty kick as Martins ran into Timbers goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey while chasing down a long ball over the top of the defense. Midfielder Brad Evans converted the penalty kick in the 42nd minute.

Next up, the Timbers return to the Rose City to play host to Sporting Kansas City in a midweek match on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Providence Park; kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). The match will be carried live locally on KPDX FOX 12 with a local radio broadcast on 750/102.9 The Game and in Spanish on La GranD 93.5 FM.

Notes:

- Sunday's match marked the 92nd all-time meeting between the Pacific Northwest rivals across all competitions since 1975.

- The match was the fourth time Portland and Seattle have faced off during the 2015 season across all competitions. Portland earned a 2-2-0 record against Sounders FC in all competitions in 2015, including a 3-1 win after extra time in the fourth round of the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and a 4-1 league win.

- Portland's 20 total shots in Sunday's match marked the first time Seattle has conceded 20 shots at home since entering MLS in 2009, eclipsing the previous high of 19 (Columbus Crew SC; Aug. 27, 2011).

- Portland has registered 20-plus shots twice against Seattle this season (24 on June 28; 20 on Aug. 30).

- Portland's 20 total shots marked the fourth time this season the club has attempted 20 or more shots in a match.

- The Timbers registered a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks on Sunday.

- Midfielder Diego Valeri registered an assist in a third straight game for Portland on Sunday and moved into a tie for fifth place on the all-time Timbers career scoring list with 79 points (23g, 33a) with NASL Timbers midfielder Willie Anderson.

- Valeri, who played his 80th career match for Portland on Sunday, is just the eighth player ever to score 20 or more goals and contribute 30 or more assists in the first 80 games of their MLS career and the second active MLS player to reach the mark, joining LA's Robbie Keane. Former MLS players to achieve the mark include Preki, Jaime Moreno, Eric Wynalda, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Amado Guevara and fellow Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

- Since his MLS debut in 2013, Valeri has registered the most assists (33) in the league.

- Valeri's assist marks the fourth time in his MLS career that he has tallied an assist in three or more consecutive games.

- Midfielder Jack Jewsbury scored his 13th career goal for the Timbers on Sunday and his third goal of the season. It is the fifth time in Jewsbury's career that he has scored three of more goals in a season.

- Jewsbury made his 325th career MLS appearance on Sunday.

- Jewsbury became the 12th MLS Timbers player to score a goal in a regular-season match against Sounders FC.

- Midfielder George Fochive made his sixth career start on Sunday, playing 78 minutes.

- Over the last 15 games, Portland has registered an 8-4-3 record (27pts), which ranks as one of the best in the league over that span.

Next Game

Next up, the Timbers return to the Rose City to play host to Sporting Kansas City in a midweek match on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Providence Park; kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). The match will be carried live locally on KPDX FOX 12 with a local radio broadcast on 750/102.9 The Game and in Spanish on La GranD 93.5 FM.

Check out the Portland Timbers Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...

Major League Soccer Stories from August 30, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central