The Portland Timbers head north to take on Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field on Sunday (6:30 p.m. PT, FS1) in the first of back-to-back matches between the rivals. Here are five numbers to know for #SEAvPOR in the latest Quick Strikes.
6The Timbers currently lead the 2016 Cascadia Cup standings with six points from their first three matches. They sit tied with Vancouver Whitecaps FC on points, but rank first due to a higher goal difference in matches played against Vancouver this season..
20In the MLS era of the Timbers and Sounders rivalry, no player has competed in more matches between the two clubs than Darlington Nagbe. The 26-year-old midfielder has played in 20 competitive matches between the Cascadian rivals.
80Only three MLS players have made 80 or more tackles this season and all three play for Pacific Northwest teams. Timbers midfielder Diego Chara (80 tackles) joins Seattle's Osvaldo Alonso (81 tackles) and Vancouver's Matias Laba (95 tackles) as the league's top tacklers.
4 On four different occasions, a Timbers player has recorded a brace against the Sounders in MLS play. Fanendo Adi (twice), Diego Valeri, and Chara all have multi-goal games in the rivalry. Portland – along with the San Jose Earthquakes – has recorded more braces against the Sounders than any other MLS team.
2007 For the first time since 2007 – when both teams were still in the USL – the Timbers will play consecutive regular-season matches against the Sounders. The teams did meet for back-to-back games in the 2013 MLS Cup playoffs when Portland defeated Seattle in both matches to advance to the MLS Western Conference Finals.
