It’s hard to fully articulate how thoroughly the Seattle Sounders – the club, the players, and all of us fans – needed that win over the Portland Timbers. Finally breaking the home winless streak against the Timbers, as well snapping the post-Leagues Cup winless streak, all but guaranteeing a 5th place finish, and setting up the possibility that Portland could finish have to fight out of the Wild Card round when Decision Day is done all contributed to the necessity. The need ran deeper than that, though.
We’ll set aside the fact that Kim Kee-hee’s availability is somewhat up in the air after he came out at halftime, particularly with Yeimar out for a while due to injury, but one of the things Seattle really needed heading into this game was to continue to get healthy and find a way to get players like Jordan Morris and Pedro de la Vega more fully integrated now that they’re once again available following health/injury issues.
After missing about two months due to his shoulder injury, Morris had been working back up to full fitness over the previous four games and made his first start since returning last week against the Vancouver Whitecaps. He was able to play 65 minutes against Portland, and while he didn’t have the kind of direct impact that we’d all prefer – his only recorded shot was a header from a set piece in first half stoppage time – his presence and the threat he poses created more space for the rest of the team. Morris frequently drew a double team, requiring the attention of both Timbers centerbacks. That’s part of why de la Vega had so much space in the box on the goal – Morris’ near-post run took both CBs out of that area and drew another defender in their wake. Morris was an active defender, dropping deep to help the team when necessary and winning 6/10 duels. We’ve got enough of a track record with Morris to know that with a run of games, the goals will come, and he’s been able to get the games.
Possibly even more so than Morris, Seattle’s biggest ceiling-raiser and x-factor, the kind of player who can completely change a tight game like we’re sure to find in the playoffs, is Pedro de la Vega. After knee tendinitis kept him out for three weeks following the Leagues Cup Final, de la Vega was once again at least on the bench against Austin FC and Vancouver, but didn’t play. Given the potential of what he can offer, and what he’s already contributed to the team this year when he’s been on the field, it is absolutely crucial to be able to get him integrated and rolling ahead of the playoffs. So it was a bit of a surprise to see him not only start, but to play 65 minutes along with Morris. His goal was really well taken, but his performance was a lot more than just that moment. What was maybe most promising was that de la Vega put in the sort of all-action game that he had against Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup, winning 5/5 duels and providing an ever-present outlet and passing option. He came close to a second goal at the start of the second half, too, ripping what could have been another golazo from the top of the box at the end of a good transition sequence.
Add to all of that the way that Seattle got their win, a 1-0 victory against a Portland team that’s had lots of joy in Seattle for the better part of the last decade. It was the Sounders’ first shutout in league play since they beat the LA Galaxy 4-0 on Aug. 10, nearly two months ago. The shutout wasn’t a fluke, either. They were able to thoroughly neutralize the Timbers, who were held to 9 shots and 0.56 xG according to Fotmob, their lowest single-game xG total since losing 2-0 on the road to FC Dallas on Aug. 9 when they only managed 0.33 xG. They were repeatedly forced to settle for shots from outside the box, taking only 3 shots from closer than 18 yards out and really only threatening Stefan Frei’s goal with one of those when Frei made a great save on a shot from David Da Costa in the 34th minute. It was a return to the form we had come to expect from Seattle’s defense prior to this season, and it came at just the right time.
Playoff games have a tendency to be incredibly similar to a rivalry game. Past is not precedent; form, records, and all the rest basically go out the window. Games are played and refereed differently, and it often comes down to who makes the fewest mistakes, and which side can take advantage of the opportunities they get. Seattle limited their mistakes – at least up until Albert Rusnák got sent off – in a very repeatable way, they created chances, and turned their best one into a goal. And again, they finally beat the Timbers in front of a home crowd. Damn, we needed that.
