In what was perhaps the most interesting or entertaining losses in Seattle Sounders history. If you are going to lose, you might as well go out with a bang.
Yesterday's 3-1 loss in extra time marks the first one in 17 matches for the Sounders at Starfire Stadium in U.S. Open Cup history. They also allowed more than one goal in a match, which is also the first time they have done this in the U.S. Open Cup.
Maybe that is how we should remember this game. It was a game of firsts. It was the first time Clint Dempsey played at Starfire. It was Oniel FIsher's and Troy Perkins' first start for the senior team. And it was the first time, in coach Sigi Schmid's recollection, that his team finished the game with seven players.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Portland Timbers 3
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Venue: Starfire Stadium
Referee: Daniel Radford
Assistants: Mike Kampmeinert, Jeff Hosking
Fourth Official: Jeff Athurholtz
Attendance: 4,022
Weather: Sunny and 72 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
POR - Diego Valeri (Rodney Wallace) 48'
SEA - Obafemi Martins 79'
POR - Rodney Wallace 100'
POR - Maximiliano Urruti (George Fochive) 116'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA - Andy Rose (caution) 20'
SEA - Brad Evans (caution) 38'
POR - Norberto Paparatto (caution) 54'
SEA - Brad Evans (ejection) 69'
POR - Jack Jewsbury (caution) 106'
POR - Taylor Peay (caution) 111'
SEA - Micheal Azira (ejection) 112'
SEA - Clint Dempsey (ejection) 113'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Troy Perkins; Oniel Fisher, Chad Marshall, Brad Evans - Captain, Leo Gonzalez (Tyrone Mears 84'); Cristian Roldan (Dylan Remick 72'), Micheal Azira, Andy Rose, Aaron Kovar (Clint Dempsey 71'); Obafemi Martins, Lamar Neagle
Substitutes not used: Stefan Frei, Thomàs, Darwin Jones, Dylan Remick
Total shots: 13 (Aaron Kovar/Obafemi Martins, 3)
Shots on goal: 5 (Obafemi Martins, 2)
Fouls: 19 (Andy Rose, 4)
Offside: 2 (Dylan Remick, 1)
Corner-kicks: 8 (Aaron Kovar, 6)
Saves: 2 (Troy Perkins, 2)
Portland Timbers - Adam Kwarasey; Alvas Powell (Taylor Peay 36'), Norberto Paparatto, Nat Borchers, Jorge Villafana; Jack Jewsbury - Captain, Diego Valeri (Gaston Fernandez 60'), George Fochive; Darlington Nagbe, Fanendo Ali
Substitutes not used: Andrew Weber, Gaston Fernandez, Michael Nanchoff, Taylor Peay, Maximiliano Urruti, Ishmael Yartey
Total shots: 13 (Rodney Wallace, 3)
Shots on goal: 5 (5 tied at 1)
Fouls: 12 (4 tied at 2)
Offside: 5 (Rodney Wallace, 2)
Corner-kicks: 4 (Jorge Villafana, 2)
Saves: 4 (Adam Kwarasey, 4)
POST-MATCH QUOTES: SOUNDERS FC 1 - PORTLAND TIMBERS 3
LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP FOURTH ROUND
TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2015
SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
On the initial thoughts on the match:
"There are no initial thoughts. I thought our guys played like lions, I thought they left their hearts out on the field, and I think they got robbed."
On the frustration of the players:
"I think there was frustration from our players. With [Micheal] Azira, I don't think it was a red card, and with Clint Dempsey, his reaction was what it was. On the same token, when a linesman tells you that the goal is not offside because the defender played the ball to the guy, it looked to me it was a shot deflected...You tell me Remick played the ball, I don't think so."
On the feeling in the locker room:
"It's got to serve as motivation and fuel to do everything we can in the league, to win another Supporters' Shield, to do well in the Champions League, and do well in MLS Cup. It's disappointing for it to end like this, to force your team to play a team 7-on-11."
SOUNDERS FC GOALKEEPER TROY PERKINS
On the mood of the locker room:
"A little disbelief, really. We are still trying to figure out what the referee's explanation is on the second goal, and what his explanation is on a couple of the red cards. It really doesn't make sense... At the end of the day, it is frustrating. We want to win this thing and we want to put everything we've got into it, so it isn't easy when you have to play two sets of teams."
On the rivalry:
"I think every game between Seattle and Portland is exciting like this, there is always something going on... It is always exciting, there is always drama with rivalries."
On if he has seen anything like this:
"Not an official match, no. Maybe in training. The guys gave everything they had. Playing 50 minutes with a couple guys down was brave."
SOUNDERS FC MIDFIELDER CRISTIAN ROLDAN
On the mood of the locker room:
"I guess we're pretty mellow right now. It's also pretty comical in the locker room, just how the game ended. It is one of those things where you can't really do anything about it - it's out of our hands. It is just one of those things."
On the atmosphere:
"For sure, and the fans on top of us the whole game, it was awesome. I wish the game ended a little differently, but the atmosphere was great with the 4,000 people that ended up here and I wish every game was like that, and it is like that at CenturyLink."
PORTLAND TIMBERS HEAD COACH CALEB PORTER
Opening statement:
"I have been in a situation where there are red cards. I have been in games where there are two red cards on one team, so yeah, I have been in games like that. We knew this was going to be an intense game - obviously this is a derby, bitter rivals, Open Cup game - we knew it was going to be a challenge for us. History said we wouldn't win this game because they had never lost on this field in the Open Cup and they have won the Open Cup four times. I think you saw with our group, and I was proud of their mentality. They didn't look they like were not up for it...they were mature, they kept their heads. I was proud of that. Sometimes in this type of game you can lose your head; I thought we kept our composure really well, I thought we matched them physically, and it was a great performance and a great result."
On the flow of the game:
"In this type of game, when you're playing on a tight pitch on a narrow field, it was always going to be a bit of a direct game. We knew that, we prepared for that. I thought we dealt with it really well...We played direct at times because we knew they would press us and the pitch is narrow and it's not a great pitch to keep the ball - it is very fast, lively, the ball bounces around like a ping pong match. We knew it was going to be this way. We put out a lineup and a plan to help us flourish under these conditions...They got two guys get injured after they used their subs, and that certainly affected the match. That has nothing to do with the referee - they got two guys injured after they made their subs. In terms of the red cards, we got a red card called against us last year, maybe it's even now."
On the emotions towards the end of the match:
"I thought we looked very mature, and that's what you want to see in your team. You want to see a team that is up for the fight, but keeps their cool. We were definitely up for it. I thought physically, in the first half, we matched their intensity...Nobody remembers, in these Open Cup games, anything but the result. No one. The final number is the result, and we were able to knock off a very good team on their home field."
PORTLAND TIMBERS MIDFIELDER JACK JEWSBURY
On playing at Starfire:
"Yeah, there is always a buzz here in these small confines. We have played here a few times and it's always fun. It's definitely different than what we are used to at CenturyLink Field with the massive amount of people there. It's always fun to come here, it's a tough place to play, I think everybody knows that. I don't think they have been beat here, ever, until tonight."
On getting the win:
"It feels good. We have been on a good run in the league, but we had to switch gears a little bit to the Open Cup. We knew it was going to be a tough game, especially against Seattle. It was one we were excited about, but we knew it wasn't going to be easy, so to get out of here, in what was kind of a weird and wild game, and to move on, was the goal and we achieved that, and it feels good."
On if he has experienced anything like this match:
"No, I can honestly say that was pretty wild. Even at the end, I guess it was 11 vs. 7 with six field players, it was pretty wild to look around and not really see too many white jerseys. It was interesting to say the least."