MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Oct. 22, 2020
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Wash.)
Forecast: Partly cloudy, 48 degrees
Referee: Ismael Elfath
Assistant Referees: Corey Parker, Cory Richardson
Fourth Official: Farhad Dadkho
VAR: Chris Penso
National TV: FS1
Talent: Jon Strong (play-by-play), Stu Holden (analyst)
English Radio: 750 The Game
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst), Nat Borchers (analyst)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
LAST TIME OUT
The Portland Timbers played to a 1-1 draw against Los Angeles FC at Providence Park on Oct. 18. Jeremy Ebobisse recorded his team-leading eighth goal of the season in the match.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Thursday’s contest marks the 111th all-time meeting between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC since the 1975 season. Since the Timbers entered MLS in 2011, Thursday’s match will be the 37th match across all competitions between the two clubs, with the series tied 15-15-6. In 21 regular season matches against the Sounders, Diego Valeri has tallied five goals and nine assists, while Diego Chara has played 24 regular-season matches against Seattle, which is the most by any player in the fixture in the clubs’ MLS eras. Notably, in five road matches against Seattle across all competitions since head coach Giovanni Savarese began coaching the club in 2018, the Timbers hold a 4-1-0 record, including a 4-2 penalty shootout win at CenturyLink Field in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Nov. 8, 2018.
GIO COACHING AGAINST SEATTLE
In 11 matches coaching across all competitions against Seattle Sounders FC dating back to 2018, Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese holds a record of 7-4-0. Savarese has guided Portland to a 5-3-0 record against Seattle in regular-season play, a 1-1-0 record against the Sounders in the MLS Cup Playoffs and an undefeated record against Seattle (1-0-0) in U.S. Open Cup action. Notably, in five road matches against Seattle across all competitions dating back to 2018, Savarese has managed the Timbers to a 4-1-0 record, including a 4-2 penalty shootout win at CenturyLink Field in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Nov. 8, 2018.
TIMBERS AWAY FROM PROVIDENCE PARK IN 2020
In 13 matches played across all competitions away from Providence Park in 2020, the Portland Timbers hold a record of 8-2-3, outscoring the opposition 32-20. The Timbers finished undefeated (5-0-2) at the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando, Fla., while they’re 3-2-1 in six regular-season matches on the road during the 2020 campaign. Notably, Jeremy Ebobisse has tallied a team-leading eight goals scored across all competitions away from Providence Park in 2020, while Diego Valeri ranks second on the team with five goals scored away from home.
TIMBERS’ POTENT OFFENSE
In 18 regular-season matches during the 2020 campaign, the Portland Timbers rank second in MLS in goals scored (38), behind only LAFC (40). As a team, Portland ranks first in the league in headed goals (10) and leads MLS in assists (38). The Timbers are the only team in MLS with four players with five or more goals (Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Felipe Mora, Jeremy Ebobisse, Diego Valeri) and the only team in MLS with three players with seven or more goals (Mora, Ebobisse, Valeri).
KING JEBO ROLLIN’
In 18 appearances (11 starts) during the 2020 regular-season campaign, Jeremy Ebobisse has tallied a team-leading eight goals and two assists. Notably, Ebobisse set a new club record by making his 73rd consecutive appearance across all competitions for the Timbers after coming on as a substitute in a 3-0 win over San Jose on Oct. 11. Since the start of the 2019 MLS regular season, Ebobisse ranks first amongst all MLS players in headed goals (8), with Kei Kamara and Zlatan Ibrahimovic ranking tied for second (7). Additionally, Ebobisse has played in 60 consecutive regular-season matches for the Timbers, which is the longest active streak currently in MLS and the second longest in team history behind only Darlington Nagbe (69).
TIMBERS RUN OF FORM
In their last 10 matches played dating back to a 2-1 win on the road over Seattle Sounders FC on Sept. 6, Portland holds a record of 6-2-2. During that stretch, the Timbers lead MLS in goals scored (24), rank second in the league in games won 6) behind Toronto FC and the Philadelphia Union (7) and rank second behind only Philadelphia (+14) in goal differential (+11). Notably, the Timbers have had five different players score three or more goals (Yimmi Chara, Jeremy Ebobisse, Felipe Mora, Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Diego Valeri) dating back to Sept. 6; the only team in MLS with that figure. Additionally, Portland is tied for the league lead in road victories (4) with New England and Toronto FC dating back to Sept. 6.
CHILEAN STRIKER IN FORM
Felipe Mora tallied an assist in Portland’s 1-1 draw against LAFC at Providence Park on Oct. 18 . Dating back to a 4-4 draw against Real Salt Lake on Aug. 29, Felipe Mora has tallied seven goals and two assists in 11 appearances (7 starts) for the Timbers. Mora has scored in three consecutive games twice this season, joining Gyasi Zardes as the only MLS players with multiple three-game scoring streaks in 2020. Notably, Mora leads the team with three goals scored in league play as a substitute.
