Despite scoring first and controlling the game for the first 70 minutes, the Seattle Sounders fell 4-1 to the Portland Timbers on Saturday. It marked the first time in the rivalry’s history that a team had won four straight matches with the Sounders’ last win over the Timbers coming in 2021.

MATCH SUMMARY

Seattle Sounders FC 1 – Portland Timbers 4

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Venue: Providence Park

Referee: Drew Fischer

Assistants: Kathryn Nesbitt, Jeremy Hanson

Fourth Official: Alex Chilowicz

VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero

Attendance: 25,218

Weather: 55 degrees and clear

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (Obed Vargas) 58’

POR – Dairon Asprilla (Santiago Moreno, Claudio Bravo) 71’

POR – Nathan Fogaça (Santiago Moreno, Juan Mosquera) 76’

POR – Jaroslaw Niezgoda 81’

POR – Juan Mosquera (Cristhian Paredes) 89’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

SEA – João Paulo (caution) 44’

SEA – Alex Roldan (caution) 54’

POR – Diego Chara (caution) 58’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Alex Roldan, Yeimar, Jackson Ragen, Nouhou (Kelyn Rowe 80’); João Paulo, Obed Vargas (Fredy Montero 80’), Jordan Morris, Nico Lodeiro, Léo Chú (Héber 69’); Raúl Ruidíaz (Danny Leyva 83’)

Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Ethan Dobbelaere, Sota Kitahara, Xavier Arreaga

Total shots: 15

Shots on goal: 5

Fouls: 6

Offside: 2

Corner-Kicks: 7

Saves: 4

Portland Timbers – Alijaz Ivacic; Claudio Bravo, Dario Zuparic, Zachery McGraw, Juan Mosquera; Evander (Nathan Fogaça 66’), Diego Chara, David Ayala (Cristhian Paredes 66’), Dairon Asprilla; Franck Boli (Jaroslaw Niezgoda 72’), Santiago Moreno (Larrys Mabiala 90’+4’)

Substitutes not used: Hunter Sulte, Justin Rasmussen, Eric Miller, Diego Gutierrez, Marvin Loria

FotMob.com

Quotes

Seattle Sounders FC head coach Brian Schmetzer

Thoughts on tonight’s match …

“The game could have been ended had we scored a second goal. The game could have been skewed in our favor had we kept a little bit better possession at 1-0. But we gave them life. We gave them a chance. We gave them some hope. Then, after they scored the first goal, which is going to be on a highlight reel with the bicycle kick, but the play happened really at the top end. Giving the ball away, not being brave enough defensively stepping out, they pinned us back, and the end result is going to be goal of the week. Second goal, again a defensive mistake and it just started steamrolling. So, our inability to close the game out at 1-0 is what caused the game to unravel.”

On his postgame message to his team…

“It’s a great question. Very great question. I told them I don’t feel that it’s a rivalry. That’s my initial gut thought. At 1-0, we have to have that killer instinct against a team that has beat us three games in a row, that’s had our number. At their place, stick the knife in, kill the game. I don’t give a s*** if it was the second goal or extending possession. After the game, some of our staff members, everybody talking, laughing. It’s like another loss. It’s not another loss – it’s against the Timbers. We have to get back to understanding that this is a rivalry. And that’s what I said to everybody. That’s the reflection that I have. It’s not good, it’s not good. We don’t have the killer instinct to put them away. We gave them life; we talked about it, messaged it before the game. They were using this game as a springboard. They have to go to Cincinnati next week. They get a bad result here, and have to go to Cincinnati, that could doom them. But we give them life.”

Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Obed Vargas

On how it felt to start the game…

“It feels good to be back, but it can’t feel very well when you lose like that to Portland. Overall, I just feel really, really s***** inside. I played, didn’t play, all I wanted was the team to win and we didn’t win so I feel bad.”

On playing 90 good minutes…

“It is something I need to learn in my career. You hate to lose the games, so you kind of have to put it away and keep working. So, when it’s time to play Portland again, it’s a little reminder that you don’t want to feel like that again. So, when you go up 1-0 again, or go 1-0 down, it’s a reminder that we don’t want to feel like that again, so we have to keep working hard and make sure we put teams away and don’t let little moments like that decide the game. Because we were dominating for maybe more than 60 minutes of the game, but one or two moments from there and the game totally flips. It’s a good learning curve for me in my career and a good reminder for all of us.”

Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Kelyn Rowe

On when the momentum changed…

“It could have been the goal to change the momentum. When we get one, you have to settle down. It’s the first five minutes when you get a goal or get scored on is very important. They took advantage of it, and fumbled a little bit, it’s unfortunate. Every guy, me included, you have to look at yourself and say, “I made ten good passes”, but the only one you think about is the one you messed up and that may have led to something else. So, this is a hard one.”

On the struggle to put teams away…

“It’s unfortunately a good lesson. I hate that it’s against Portland but it’s a good lesson. But we need to be able to grind out wins in tough places to play and tough games. These rivalry games are the highest of highs, where if you can win this one game, fans are happy. You lose this game, it’s the lowest of lows. These are the games that hurt the most and you see it in the locker room, you see it after the game. To me, this is one you put in the back pocket, you move on, you make sure you learn from it. Because the next time you play Portland, you pull it back out and say I don’t want to feel like this again.”