There’s something about playing the Portland Timbers that seems to bring out the worst in the Seattle Sounders. Despite looking pretty darn good between the penalty areas — the Sounders dominated duels, shots and possession — they still came up on the short end of a 1-0 result, the first time they’ve been shut out since July.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 0 - Portland Timbers 1
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Venue: Providence Park
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistants: Kathryn Nesbitt, Jeff Hosking
Fourth Official: Farhad Dadkho
VAR: Ramy Touchan
Attendance: Closed Door
Weather: 61 degrees and cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
POR - Yimmi Chara (Jeremy Ebobisse) 13’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA - Nouhou (caution) 36’
POR - Pablo Bonilla (caution) 55’
SEA - Raúl Ruidíaz (caution) 56’
POR - Eryk Williamson (caution) 76’
SEA - Alex Roldan (caution) 90’
POR - Steve Clark (caution) 90’+6’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam (Miguel Ibarra 84’), Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Shane O’Neill (Will Bruin 76’), Nouhou (Gustav Svensson HT); João Paulo, Cristian Roldan, Joevin Jones (Alex Roldan 53’), Nicolás Lodeiro, Jordan Morris; Raúl Ruidíaz
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Xavier Arreaga, Jordy Delem, Joshua Atencio
Total shots: 19 (Morris/Ruidíaz, 4)
Shots on goal: 6 (Six players, 1)
Fouls: 8 (Lodeiro, 2)
Offside: 3 (Three players, 1)
Corner-kicks: 13 (Lodeiro, 11)
Saves: 1 (Frei, 1)
Portland Timbers - Steve Clark; Pablo Bonilla, Julio Cascante, Dario Zuparic, Jorge Villafana; Jeremy Ebobisse (Andy Polo 75’), Diego Chara, Eryk Williamson (Cristhian Paredes 86’), Yimmi Chara (Marvin Loria 75’); Diego Valeri (Larrys Mabiala 86’), Jaroslaw Niezgoda (Felipe Mora 71’)
Substitutes not used: Aljaz Ivacic, Larrys Mabiala, Marco Farfan, Andres Flores, Renzo Zambrano
Total shots: 9 (Three players, 2)
Shots on goal: 2 (Y. Chara/Paredes, 1)
Fouls: 11 (Williamson, 5)
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 4 (Valeri, 4)
Saves: 6 (Clark, 6)
POST-MATCH QUOTES & SOUNDBYTES: SOUNDERS FC 0 – PORTLAND TIMBERS 1
SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH BRIAN SCHMETZER – LINK TO SOUNDBYTES
On what didn’t go as well in the second half:
“Well, interesting question Nico [Moreno]. We’ve had challenges with teams that sit back and defend and block. You know two blocks of four, transition teams, teams that like to sit. We seem to not be able to break teams down. Is that because you know, we don’t have a real dibbler like Zakuani? Is it because Jordan [Morris] doesn’t have any space to run in behind? Is it because you know we aren’t a team that crosses a lot of balls? We had some shots from distance that are normally lower percentage shots. I can say all of that but what I would say is that this is pro soccer, pro sports, and had Raúl [Ruidíaz] finished that chance, Jordan [Morris] finished that chance you know we get a couple goals in the first half, the second half might not of been as frustrating as you and me and all the fans and all the players in there would have felt.”
SOUNDERS FC MIDFIELDER GUSTAV SVENSSON – LINK TO SOUNDBYTES
On his take on the game:
“I felt good. I’ve been isolated from the team for 10 days prior to this so I’ve been training with Adam, you know by myself. You get your fitness in but it’s not the same as playing, but I felt good. I felt hunger to come back again. It was a tough game. You can really feel that this game meant a lot to both teams, a lot of tackles, a lot of duels. I mean, both teams had chances, but I think we had the better ones. That’s part of soccer. But we were a little disappointed, but we played okay so yeah.”