Sounders-Timbers rivalry especially heated Sunday

PORTLAND – Game notes prepared by the Portland Timbers’ media-information staff bill their match today with Seattle Sounders FC as a renewal of  “one of North American soccer’s longest and most heated rivalries.”

The “heated” part probably wasn’t intended as a pun, but it could work that way, as the Sunday forecast calls for temperatures around 90 degrees in the Rose City at the scheduled 4 p.m. start time.

In that heat, two hours in 85-90 degrees is enough to affect players – and therefore to affect play.

“Any time it’s hot you usually see a slower game,” said Seattle defender Chad Marshall, who played for a decade in Columbus. “Obviously, it’s a different kind of heat. You don’t have the humidity you get in the Midwest or the East Coast, so hopefully that will help. It will just be a drier heat and guys can play through it.”

That opinion brings a rare moment of unity between the Sounders and Timbers.

“Yeah, for sure, right in the middle of the day,” Portland midfielder Will Johnson agreed Saturday. “We’ll see how it goes. With any weather condition it’s the same for both teams.”

Regardless of the weather, players who are absent will be relevant as both teams will be missing designated players.

Portland will be without DP defender Liam Ridgewell, who is serving a red-card suspension from the Timbers’ midweek match. Meanwhile, Seattle will be without DP forwards and goals leaders Clint Dempsey (suspension) and Obafemi Martins (groin).

Even at less than full strength, the Sounders are expected to have more options than they did in their back-to-back losses to San Jose and Philadelphia. DP midfielder Osvaldo Alonso and forward Chad Barrett are expected back from injury, and defender Brad Evans trained Saturday and could play.