Sounders kickoff soccer doubleheader with goalless draw with Timbers
SEATTLE – A sparkling Seattle afternoon, heated rivalry and largest crowd the Sounders have drawn this season didn’t combine for the intended soccer showcase Saturday.
The kickoff to the Cascadia doubleheader derby at Lumen Field ended in a 0-0 draw for the Sounders and Portland Timbers. The men turned the pitch over to the OL Reign and Portland Thorns FC for the nightcap of the second iteration of Seattle’s celebration of the game.
It is the first time the rivals have played to a scoreless tie. The Sounders lost the inaugural doubleheader to the Timbers in 2021.
Most of the fight started after the final whistle when players had to be separated.
The Sounders did end a four-game losing skid to their archrival and avoided a fourth home loss in their past five matches.
Yet the Sounders (8-6-3) haven’t defeated the Timbers at home since 2017, which most of the 42,054 in attendance hoped to witness.
After attempting a season-high 23 shots in a loss against the San Jose Earthquake on Wednesday, the Sounders went 30 minutes without creating a single shot against Portland.
Fredy Montero made Timbers keeper Aljaz Ivacic move in the 31st minute, but his right-footed shot was a slow dribble way off target.
The sides entered the break goalless, Portland outshooting Seattle 6-2 in the half. The Timbers (4-7-5) could have sneaked a goal past keeper Stefan Frei in the 27th minute. In a crowded box, midfielder Dairon Asprilla swung a left-footed shot around the Sounders defense that Frei used a last-second adjustment to save.
Asprilla had a stronger attempt in the 33rd minute sail over goal, but the header center of the box was nullified by an offside call.
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer went to his bench first. In the 57th minute he brought on striker Raul Ruidiaz for Montero and right winger Cristian Roldan for Reed Baker-Whiting. Roldan hadn’t played since April because of a concussion.
Roldan crafted the Sounders’ fourth shot attempt in the 63rd minute. He lofted a ball from in the box to winger Leo Chu, but the header missed.
Portland outshot Seattle 11-5 in the match with the Sounders owning possession at 60.9%. Frei had two saves in collecting his eighth clean sheet of the season, which leads MLS.