MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, July 16
Kickoff: 12 noon (Pacific)
Location: Providence Park
Forecast: Partly Cloudy, 78 degrees
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Jeff Hosking Fourth Official: Mark Geiger
National TV: FOX
Talent: John Stong (play-by-play), Brad Friedel (analyst), Julie Stewart-Binks (reporter)
English Radio: 750 The Game (KXTG 750 AM, 102.9 FM)
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
Talent: Josue del Castillo (play-by-play), Ozkar Ramos (analyst)
MATCH PREVIEW
The Timbers enter Sunday’s match against Cascadia-rivals Seattle Sounders FC unbeaten in their last eight league games. Most recently, the Timbers battled the Montreal Impact to a 1-1 draw at Providence Park, with forward Jack McInerney scoring his fifth regular-season goal and sixth goal across all competitions in 2016. The 1-1 draw against Montreal snapped the Timbers two-game shutout streak, with Portland previously holding the Colorado Rapids and New York Red Bulls scoreless in consecutive matches. Coming off a 5-0 home win against FC Dallas, Seattle (5-10-2, 17pts) has a 1-5-2 record on the road this season and are led by rookie forward Jordan Morris, who ranks first on the team in goals scored (6), while midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz leads the club in assists (3).
LAST MATCH RECAP
The Portland Timbers battled the Montreal Impact to a 1-1 draw before a sold-out crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on July 13, extending their unbeaten streak to eight games in league play. Producing five shots in the first half, the Timbers (6-6-8, 26pts) opened the scoring in the 14th minute of play when forward Jack McInerney notched his fifth goal of the season, heading midfielder Jack Jewsbury’s corner kick into the back of the net after battling to win an aerial duel inside the six-yard box.
LAST TIME VS. SEATTLE
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.
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 93rd all-time meeting between the clubs. The Timbers have registered an overall record of 33-47-12 all-time against Seattle and a record of 6-8-4 during the MLS era, in all competitions. Sunday’s match is the first of three regular-season meetings scheduled between the rivals this season.
SCOUTING SEATTLE
Seattle Sounders FC enter Sunday’s match with one win in their last five matches. Most recently, Sounders FC defeated FC Dallas 5-0 during a midweek clash at Century Link Field on Wednesday, July 13. During the win, forward Clint Dempsey received a red card and will be unavailable for Sunday’s contest against the Timbers. On the road in 2016, Seattle has produced a 1-5-2 record, with their only win on the road taking place against D.C. United as Seattle claimed a 2-0 victory. Sounders FC are led by rookie forward Jordan Morris, who ranks first on the team in goals scored (6), while midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz leads the club in assists (3).
