Fredy Montero and Raul Ruidiaz both delivered two goals each and keeper Stefan Cleveland made seven crucial saves as the Sounders marched to a 6-2 rout over the Portland Timbers.
Still, the Timbers had a lot of energy and desire to win this match, but in the end, fell short against the push of a determined and ambitious Rave Green that brought down their efforts.
Despite the Timbers dominating in possession as well in shots at goal, Stefan Cleveland routinely denied the Rose City side in what could be the game-winning goals.
At the other end, the Sounders took advantage of every opportunity that came their way. In the 13th minute, Fredy Montero took advantage of a rebound from Timbers keeper Aljaz Ivacic from an Alex Roldan shot to make it 1-0.
Montero was at it again in the 29th minutes faking out Claudio Bravo and sending a beauty of a strike to beat Ivacic to double the Sounders’ advantage.
However, this is not a Derby without the reaction from the opposing team and the Timbers being down, they were not out. In the 32nd minute, a shot deflected past Stefan Cleveland by Sebastian Blanco, who was making his first start since September 9th of last year after an ACL tear.
The Timbers looked a bit solid at the start of the second half and were rewarded when George Fochive pounced on a rebound from a Claudio Bravo shot to level the match at 2-2.
Nico Lodeiro came on as a halftime sub for Seattle and it would make a world of difference
A foul outside the area over Raul Ruidiaz from Larrys Mabiala is what set up the third goal in the 55th minute with a beauty of a shot that left Timbers keeper Aljaz Ivacic standing and the visiting Sounders up 3-2.
The Timbers’ meltdown continued in the 72nd when a Lodeiro shot stopped by Ivacic, but Raul Ruidaz took advantage of the rebound and pushed the ball into the net to make it 4-2.
To conclude the game, both Jimmy Medranda and Nicolas Benezet added to the Sounders cause with Medranda scoring a beauty of a goal in a corner taken by Joao Paulo in the 77th minute and Benezet scoring late into stoppage time to make it 6-2 in a clear win by a more determined Seattle Sounders.
Goals
Freddy Montero 13’ SEA, Freddy Montero 29’ SEA, Sebastian Blanco 32’ PTFC, George Fochive 52’ PTFC, Raul Ruidaz 55’ SEA, Raul Ruidiaz 72’ SEA, Jimmy Medranda 77’ SEA, Nicolas Benezet 90+4 SEA
Man of the Match
Sebastian Blanco
