SEATTLE, Wash. — The second largest stand alone crowd in Major League Soccer history saw the Seattle Sounders end their three-match winless run, getting goals from Eddie Johnson and Fredy Montero en route to a 3-0 Cascadia Cup victory over the Portland Timbers.
Man of the Match: Eddie Johnson celebrated his called up to the U.S. Men’s National Team with the night’s best goal, a half-volley of a Brad Evans cross flying inside Donovan Ricketts’ left post for Seattle’s second goal. It was Johnson’s team-leading 14th goal of the season, one short of a career high. Johnson played necessary parts in Seattle’s first and third goals, playing the pass back to Osvaldo Alonso ahead of the cross on the first, flicking a header across the Portland’s penalty area on the third. Just as they have all year, Johnson’s contributions went beyond the goal column.
Packaged for takeaway:
- Seattle provided 66,452 reasons why it is the best market in Major League Soccer, drawing the largest crowd in CenturyLink’s MLS history.
- Prior to the game, the Emerald City Supporters unveiled a a tifo extending from field level to above the scoreboard sitting on top the the south end’s first level. The image: A Godfather-esque Sigi Schmid playing poker with Gavin Wilkinson, his chips in the middle as he reveals a royal flush. The title: Tonight we’re all in.
- Schmid didn’t get a royal flush from his players, but he didn’t need it. Thanks to a late change to their normal starting lineup, Portland’s back line was a mess. If this was a poker game, the Timbers were playing rags.
- As for the actual match, it took a while for the action to pick up, perhaps a biproduct of the atmosphere. For 25 minutes the teams were indistinguishable from each other: No good shots, no chances, just caginess.
- That changed when Johnson found Adam Johansson streaking unmarked down the right flank. His cross targeted Fredy Montero but never found him. Instead, Futty Danso redirected the ball behind Donovan Ricketts, opening the scoring for Seattle.
- It was the start of a terrible night for Danso, a late addition to the starting lineup after Hayner Mosquerawas scratched:
- On the second goal (Johnson’s), Danso’s decision to come off his line left David Horst to chose between marking Johnson and Christian Tiffert. Horst chose poorly
- On the final goal, Danso lost the aerial battle on a long throw from Brad Evans, allowing Johnson to flick a ball across Portland’s penalty area. The chaos that followed culminating in a goal when Montero blocked a Jack Jewsbury clearance into Ricketts’ net.
- For Montero, it was his 13th goal of the season, a new career high. He also came close to scoring in the first half, a curling shot from 18 yards out pushed onto the far post.
- It was all part of a relative offensive explosion from the Sounders. The team had only scored two goals in their last three games and were coming off being shut out last week in Vancouver.
- A big part of the that turn around were the performances of Evans and Tiffert:
- Evans’ contributions were easy to overlook, but his versatility proved invaluable. Not only did he fill the spaces in midfield vacated by Tiffert and Mauro Rosales, he also stepped into central defense when Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Jeff Parke, in separate collisions with Bright Dike, required stitches.
- Tiffert had a 180-degree turnaround from last week. In Vancouver, he was looked lifeless and worn down. Neither of those qualities were evident on Sunday. The midfielder’s little touches that secured possession on second balls helped Seattle control the match, keeping Darlington Nagbe and Diego Chará from having an impact.
- The result gives Seattle a one point lead in the Cascadia Cup standings, but thanks to their advantage in goal difference, Portland needs a win in their upcoming trip to Vancouver to claim the trophy. Should they fail to do so, the Timbers will have wasted three chances to secure the Cup.
