MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers Register 2-1 Win on the Road against Seattle Sounders FC

Published on July 22, 2019 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


SEATTLE - The Portland Timbers received a goal in each half from Brian Fernandez and extended their unbeaten streak in all competitions to six games with a 2-1 win on the road against Seattle Sounders FC in front of 50,072 fans at CenturyLink Field on Sunday night.

On the road, again

With the win, Portland (8-8-4, 28pts) recorded its eighth win in its last 12 road games across all competitions. It also marked the Timbers' sixth win on the road in MLS play. The team's six road wins is tied for the most road wins in the league this season and are also the most by the club in a single season since 2015. Additionally, Portland has earned 20 points on the road, which is the third-most road points the team has earned in an MLS season.

Against Seattle

The Timbers earned their second consecutive win in all competitions against Seattle this season, after previously recording a 2-1 win in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play on June 12. The win snapped a 13-game, regular-season home unbeaten streak for Sounders FC, as Portland handed Seattle its first loss at CenturyLink Field since Sept. 19, 2018. Portland has won three of the last four regular-season meetings in MLS play, including consecutive matches at CenturyLink Field for the first time in the club's MLS era.

Fernandez goals

Fernandez recorded his third brace with the Timbers in all competitions, and his second brace in MLS play. Fernandez has now scored a team-leading eight goals in nine MLS games. In all competitions, Fernandez has scored 11 goals in 12 matches. Notably, Fernandez has delivered braces in both his matches against Seattle in all competitions, becoming the third Timbers player across all eras with more than one brace against Sounders FC.

Key plays

In the opening minute, Seattle's Nicolás Lodeiro stole the ball in the Timbers half of the field and played a quick pass to Raúl Ruidíaz running into space. Ruidíaz dribbled into the box and found himself one-on-one with Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark, who came off his line quickly to make the save on Ruidiaz's shot from the right edge of the six-yard box.

On the counter-attack, Diego Valeri played the ball to Jeremy Ebobisse running down the left side of the field. Ebobisse dribbled to the edge of the box and fired a low, hard shot toward the bottom left corner of the goal, forcing a save by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the ninth minute.

In the 18th minute the Timbers generated consecutive chances on a corner kick. Valeri served the ball into the center of the box and Julio Cascante delivered a snap header on frame, but Frei made a diving stop at the left post. Ebobisse pounced on the loose ball, firing a shot from close range, but it went just wide of the post.

Remaining on the front foot, Cristhian Paredes quickly switched the point of attack, playing the ball out wide on the right side to Jorge Moreira, who cut back toward the middle of the box and unleashed a shot that ricocheted off the crossbar. Fernandez tracked the ball and converted the rebound in the 20th minute to give the Timbers a 1-0 lead.

Lodeiro delivered a free kick from the right wing in the 40th minute. Gustav Svensson got a touch with a header, re-directing the ball on target and Clark jumped to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Seattle tied the match at 1-1 in the 50th minute. Roman Torres played a long ball over the top for Ruidíaz, who waited as the ball skimmed off a Timbers player and dribbled around Clark before converting into an open net.

Just one minute later, the Timbers reclaimed the lead at 2-1 as Fernandez tallied his second goal of the game. Valeri played the ball to Sebastián Blanco out wide on the right side and he played a curling pass into the box for Fernandez, who finished in stride from close range.

Notes:

Brian Fernandez scored his third brace across all competitions for the Timbers, and his second brace in MLS play.

Fernandez has scored a team-leading eight goals in nine MLS games.

In all competitions, Fernandez has scored 11 goals in 12 matches.

Fernandez delivered a brace in both his matches against Seattle in all competitions. Fernandez is the third Timbers player across all eras with more than one brace against Seattle, joining Fanendo Adi and Clyde Best.

Diego Valeri recorded his 11th assist of the season, which ranks as the third-most in MLS in 2019.

Valeri has recorded eight assists against Sounders FC, which is tied for the most by a Timbers player against a single MLS opponent. Valeri also has eight assists against the Houston Dynamo and San Jose Earthquakes.

Valeri has 76 assist in his MLS career, which moves him into a tie 15th all-time in MLS history with Mark Chung.

Sebastián Blanco delivered his eighth assist of the season. Blanco has eight or more assists in all three of his seasons with the Timbers.

With the win, Portland has won two matches on the road against Seattle in the same year for the second time in the 44-year history of the rivalry (2004 and 2019).

The win ended Seattle's 13-game regular-season home unbeaten streak.

The Timbers recorded their sixth road win of the season, which is tied for the most road wins in MLS. The six road wins are the most by the club since the 2015 season.

Portland's 20 points on the road are the third-most in an MLS season for the club.

In their last 12 away matches in all competitions, Portland is 8-3-1.

Next game

The Timbers return to the Rose City to play host to the LA Galaxy on Saturday, July 27, at Providence Park. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match features a national television broadcast on FS1 with local radio broadcasts on 1029 and 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Portland Timbers (8-8-4, 28pts) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (10-6-5, 35pts)

July 21, 2019 - CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Wash.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Portland Timbers 1 1 2

Seattle Sounders FC 0 1 1

Scoring Summary:

POR: Fernandez, 20

SEA: Ruidíaz, 50

POR: Fernandez (Blanco, Valeri), 51

Misconduct Summary:

SEA: Leerdam (caution), 66

POR: Fernandez (caution), 82

POR: Moreira (caution), 84

POR: Chara (caution), 90+9

Lineups:

POR: GK Clark, D Moreira, D Mabiala, D Cascante, D Villafaña (Valentin, 90+1), M Chara, M Paredes, M Blanco (Tuiloma, 90+7), M Valeri ©, M Ebobisse (Loría, 75), F Fernandez

Substitutes Not Used: GK McIntosh, M Flores, M Conechny, M Asprilla

TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Ebobisse, Paredes, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Fernandez, 2); FOULS: 12 (Moreira, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 7

SEA: GK Frei, D Leerdam (Abdul-Salaam, 72), D Torres, D Kim, D Smith (Nouhou, 87), M Svensson, M Roldan, M Morris, M Lodeiro ©, M Shipp (Jones, 62), F Ruidíaz

Substitutes Not Used: GK Meredith, D Arreaga, M Delem, M Leyva

TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Torres, Ruidíaz, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Three players tied, 2); FOULS: 14 (Five players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 3

Referee: Drew Fischer

Assistant Referees: Jeremy Hanson, Matthew Nelson

4th Official: Alejandro Mariscal

VAR: Tim Ford

Attendance: 50,072

Weather: Clear, 82 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Check out the Portland Timbers Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 22, 2019


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