In a matchup of bitter rivals and the last two MLS Cup Champions, the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC will meet up for the first time in 2017 on Saturday at CenturyLink Field (12:00pm PT, FOX). Here five numbers to know for #SEAvPOR in the latest edition of Quick Strikes.
58 In the 17 MLS regular-season matches between the Timbers and Sounders, a total of 58 goals have been scored. Only one other fixture since the beginning of the 2011 season–Chicago Fire and D.C. United–has seen more goals than Portland/Seattle matches.
7 Forward Fanendo Adi has scored seven goals against the Sounders for Portland. That is the most scored by any Timbers player against a single MLS club (tied with Adi's output against Real Salt Lake) and ties Byron Alvarez for most goals by a Timbers player against Seattle across all eras.
5 Only one MLS team has scored more goals in the first 15 minutes of matches than the five scored by the Timbers this season. By contrast, Seattle's earliest goal so far this season was scored in the 28th minute.
96 Saturday's match will be the 96th competitive match in the history of the Portland-Seattle soccer rivalry over all eras and competitions. Since Caleb Porter became Timbers head coach in 2013, the series is tied at 7-7-2 across all competitions.
3 With his goal in Portland's last match, Diego Valeri has now tallied three scores on headers this season. Valeri is tied with Philadelphia's C.J. Sapong and Minnesota United's Christian Ramirez for most headed goals in 2017.
