RECAP | Portland Timbers claim Cascadia Cup with 1-1 draw against Seattle Sounders FC

Portland to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC in MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card match on Oct. 23 at Providence Park

SEATTLE – In their regular season finale, the Portland Timbers claimed the 2024 Cascadia Cup title with a 1-1 draw to Seattle Sounders FC at Lumen Field on Saturday evening. After conceding a first-half goal to Seattle, Antony scored the equalizer for Portland in the 68th minute. Facing a quick turnaround, the Timbers will host Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card Game on Oct. 23 at Providence Park (7:30pm PT, TICKETS, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

Cascadia Cup Kings

With tonight’s result, the Timbers secured the Cascadia Cup for the sixth time in club history (2009, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2022, 2024). Portland, Seattle and Vancouver Whitecaps FC all finished the competition this year tied on points (8) with 2-2-2 records with the Timbers claiming the title through a series of tie-breaking factors. Portland scored the most goals in Cascadia Cup play this year (8), and Timbers forward Felipe Mora tied Vancouver’s Ryan Gauld for the Golden Boot with three goals apiece in Cascadia play. Notably, tonight’s draw extended Portland’s undefeated streak (5-0-5) at Lumen Field to a 10th straight match dating back to 2017.

MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card Match

Finishing the season in ninth place of the Western Conference, Portland is set to face eighth-place Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card match on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Due to a schedule conflict at Vancouver’s venue, Portland will host the match at Providence Park with a 7:30pm PT kickoff. Tickets for the match are on sale here. Making their eighth appearance in an MLS postseason, the Timbers are 11-5-8 all time in the playoffs, including three MLS Cup appearances (2015, 2018, 2021) with their first league title coming in 2015.

Regular Season Recap

Portland concluded its 2024 regular season with a mark of 12-11-11 (47 pts), including a home record of 9-3-5 and 3-8-6 on the road. Evander set new single-season club records in goal contributions (34) and assists (19), while newcomer Jonathan Rodríguez led the team in goals scored (16). Notably, the trio of Evander, Rodríguez and Mora became the first in league history to record 14 or more goals each in the same season for the same team. Juan Mosquera started all 34 matches for the Timbers this season, becoming just the second player in club history to starts every game and the first since Darlington Nagbe in 2013.

Goal-Scoring Plays

SEA – Yeimar Gómez (Albert Rusnák), 37th minute: On a corner kick taken from the right side, Albert Rusnák served the ball into the center of the box, which Yeimar Gómez leapt up to head into the bottom-left corner of the goal.

POR – Antony (Evander), 68th minute: After winning possession near midfield, Evander received the ball and carried it forward before playing it to Antony in the right channel. The forward received the ball and dribbled centrally before using his right foot to fire a shot into the left side of goal.

Matchcenter

Notes

• The Timbers (12-11-11, 47pts) finished the season in ninth place in the Western Conference standings.
• With tonight’s result, the Timbers secured the 2024 Cascadia Cup for the fourth time in club history (2024, 2022, 2017, 2012).
• Portland, Seattle and Vancouver all finished the competition this year tied on points (8) with 2-2-2 records, however the Timbers were able to claim the title through a series of tie-breaking factors.
• Portland scored the most goals in Cascadia Cup play this year (8), and Timbers forward Felipe Mora tied Vancouver’s Ryan Gauld for the Golden Boot with three goals apiece in Cascadia play.
• Notably, tonight’s draw extended Portland’s undefeated streak (5-0-5) at Lumen Field to a 10th straight match dating back to 2017.
• Portland will face eighth-place Whitecaps FC in the Western Conference Wild Card match on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
• The Timbers qualified for playoffs for the eighth time in club history and for the first time since 2021.
• Antony scored his sixth goal of the 2024 campaign.
• Evander tallied his 19th assist of the season tonight.
• Evander’s 19 assists tied Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta for the most in the league this year.
• Evander finished the 2024 campaign with 34 goal contributions, second most in the league to Lionel Messi (36).
• Claudio Bravo made his 100th MLS regular season appearance in tonight’s match.
• Juan Mosquera started all 34 matches for the Timbers this season. He’s the second player in club history to do so and the first since Darlington Nagbe in 2013.
• Finn Surman made his MLS debut with a start against Seattle today.

Next Game

Finishing the season in ninth place of the Western Conference, the Timbers will face eighth-place Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card match on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30pm PT at Providence Park and will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app in English and Spanish as well as local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Portland Timbers (12-11-11, 47pts) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (16-9-9, 57pts)

October 19, 2024 – Lumen Field (Seattle, Wash.)

Scoring Summary:
SEA: Gómez (Rusnák), 37
POR: Antony (Evander), 68

Misconduct Summary:
SEA: Tolo (caution), 23
SEA: Rothrock (caution), 59
SEA: Vargas (caution), 65
SEA: Vargas (ejection), 69
SEA: Rusnak (caution), 69
POR: Rodríguez (caution), 90+5

Lineups:
POR: GK Pantemis, D Bravo (E. Miller, 85), D Surman, D Zuparic, D Mosquera, M Paredes (Ayala, 63), M Chara © (Williamson, 63), M Rodríguez, M Evander, M Antony, F Mora (Toye, 81)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Crépeau, F Loría, F Ikoba

TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Evander, Mora, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Mora, 3); FOULS: 16 (Mosquera, Rodríguez, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 2, SAVES: 6

SEA: GK Frei ©, D A. Roldan, D Gómez, D Ragen, D Tolo (Ruidíaz, 90+3), M C. Roldan, M Vargas, M De la Vega (Baker-Whiting, 73), M Rusnák, M Rothrock (Minoungou, 86), F Morris

Substitutes Not Used: GK Thomas, D Bell, D Nathan, M Leyva, M Paulo, F Musovski

TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Morris, Rothrock, Gómez, 3) SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Gómez, Morris, 2); FOULS: 14 (Rothrock, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 1

Referee: Ismir Pekmic
Assistant Referees: Logan Brown, Gianni Facchini
Fourth Official: Victor Rivas
VAR: Kevin Stott
Attendance: 36,341