One of MLS’s fiercest rivalries is renewed this Saturday. The Seattle Sounders travel to Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Oregon to face the Portland Timbers. Even though these teams are at opposite ends of the table, this game should still be a great one to watch. The Sounders are looking to secure a playoff spot, while the Timbers are hoping to regain a little pride.
At stake on Saturday is the Cascadia Cup. The Cascadia Cup is awarded to the top club in the Pacific Northwest each year. Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver currently compete for the Cup. NBC Sports soccer commentator Arlo White says this could be a huge win for the Timbers.
“So to get one over on the Seattle Sounders, to win the Cascadia Cup and to lift it in front of the Timbers Army, that would be enormous to them this season,” White said during a preview of the game on NBC Sports.
Even though it has been a bad year for the Timbers, they have performed well at home this season. They have won seven games, drawn three, and lost four at Jeld-Wen Field. Seattle, on the other hand, has not had the best record on the road. They have won four, drawn seven, and lost three games away from home this season.
The combination of good form at home for the Timbers and poor form away from home for the Sounders could create a gripping game on Saturday. The Timbers will need to stop Eddie Johnson and Freddy Montero if they want to win this game. Johnson and Montero have combined to score 24 of the Sounders 43 goals this season. Those two players have been huge for the Sounders and will need to be on Saturday.
The game on Saturday should be a great match between two fierce rivals. The two fan bases strongly dislike each other and this match could make the Timbers season if they are able to win the Cascadia Cup over their bitter rivals.
Written By: Eric Stoyanov, Contributing Writers, soccerprose.com
