MATCH RECAP: Sounders FC Falls 4-1 on the Road to Portland Timbers Saturday Evening at Providence Park

SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC (5-2-1, 16 points) fell 4-1 to Cascadia rival Portland Timbers (2-4-2, 8 points) on Saturday evening at Providence Park. Raúl Ruidíaz scored the lone goal for Seattle, but the home side tallied four strikes in the final 20 minutes to come away with three points. Seattle returns home to take on Minnesota United FC on Saturday, April 22 on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV – Watch Free, iHeartMedia, El Rey 1360 AM). 

Seattle scored first courtesy of Ruidíaz in the 58th minute. Nico Lodeiro played a ball into space on the right flank to Obed Vargas, who sent in a low cross to Ruidíaz for a one-time finish from just outside the six-yard box. It was Ruidíaz’s 75th goal in all competitions for Seattle, one shy of Fredy Montero for the most in club history. It was also the Peruvian’s 11th goal in 13 career games against Portland in MLS regular season and postseason play. It was the first career assist for Vargas.

Portland equalized in the 71st minute with the first of four consecutive goals to close the match. Santiago Moreno played a looping cross into the area that found Dairon Asprilla for an overhead strike past Stefan Frei and into the back of the net. The home side took the lead in the 76th minute when Nathan Fogaça was able to finish a breakaway chance, then added goals from Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Juan Mosquera in the 81st and 89th minutes, respectively.

With the start tonight, Nico Lodeiro became the sixth player to record 200 appearances across all competitions for Sounders FC in the MLS era, joining Osvaldo Alonso, Stefan Frei, Cristian Roldan, Brad Evans and Fredy Montero.

With four saves in Portland, Frei moves into sole position of fifth place in league history with 1,140 career regular-season saves. He passes Tony Meola to break into the top five and sits 11 stops behind Jon Busch (1,151).

MATCH NOTES

• The loss drops Seattle to second place in the Western Conference with 16 points (5-2-1), two points behind first-place St. Louis CITY SC.

• Raúl Ruidíaz scored for the second consecutive match, his first two goals of the season. The Peruvian now has 11 goals in 13 career games against Portland (including postseason play). With 75 goals for Sounders FC across all competitions, he is now just one strike behind Fredy Montero for the most in club history.

• Making his first start of the season, Obed Vargas recorded his first career MLS assist on Ruidíaz’s goal.

• With the start tonight, Nico Lodeiro became the sixth player to record 200 appearances across all competitions for Sounders FC in the MLS era, joining Osvaldo Alonso, Stefan Frei, Cristian Roldan, Brad Evans and Fredy Montero.

• With four saves tonight, Stefan Frei moves into sole position of fifth place in league history with 1,140 career regular-season saves. He passes Tony Meola to break into the top five and sits 11 stops behind Jon Busch (1,151).

• Tonight’s match marked the 117th match across all competitions between Seattle and Portland dating back to 1975, with Seattle holding a 56-46-15 advantage.

• This was Sounders FC’s first Cascadia Cup match of 2023. Vancouver defeated Portland last weekend, with the Timbers now tied with Whitecaps FC in the early-season race for the regional trophy.

• Cristian Roldan was a late scratch from today’s match after being placed in the concussion protocol.

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

- SOUNDERS FC -