Portland Timbers
VS
Seattle Sounders
Wednesday June 30th
7:30 @ PGE Park
Radio on 95.5 The Game
Online at Portlandtimbers.com
TV on FSN
VS
Seattle SoundersWednesday June 30th
7:30 @ PGE Park
Radio on 95.5 The Game
Online at Portlandtimbers.com
TV on FSN
The biggest rivalry in American soccer will continue Wednesday evening at PGE Park as the USSF Division-2 Portland Timbers will play host to Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders in the 3rd round of the U.S. Open Cup tournament. An annual competition essentially open to all levels of American soccer, throughout the season thirty-two teams will qualify and partake in the single elimination tournament in order to crown U.S. soccer's official national champion. In the last month, Portland has defeated Kitsap and Sonoma County (both teams from lower divisions of professional soccer), to reach the 3rd round and earn a shot against Seattle, who is one of 8 MLS teams in tournament."It's recognized Worldwide." Said Coach Gavin Wilkinson, "The U.S. Open Cup is a chance for amateur and professional teams to see who's the best team."
This will mark the second year in a row that the Timbers and Sounders will meet in the Open Cup. Last year, the Seattle overwhelmed Portland early, scoring a goal in the first 30 seconds of play and pulling out a 2-1 victory in front of a sold-out PGE Park.
"Last year, our emotions were too high." Said Coach Wilkinson, "We came out and were very highly-strung for the start of the game, looking forward to the game a bit too much, where the energy overtook the mentality..... It's important to start this game with a little more arrogance and a little bit more concentration from the start."
Not only will this Wednesday's meeting be an opportunity for redemption against their Northwest rivals, but it will also be the last time the Timber's will play Seattle as a Division-2 team. Next season, Portland will make the jump and join the Sounders in the MLS. However, next year isn't now and the Timbers will have have to step up and muster their best effort if they intend to pull off an upset against a quality MLS squad. Although Seattle has had their struggles recently, they are a team capable of scoring goals in bunches and like to play a fast-paced, offensive style of soccer. Portland may have gotten a 1-0 victory earlier this spring at Qwuest Field, but that match was only an exhibition and Wednesday evening there will be a lot more on the line.
"Speed of play is going to be the big difference." Said defender Stephen Keel, "When we get the ball we want to be able to keep possession and not play into their frantic pace...at times we are gonna want to slow it down and play our game."
"We need to see if we can put (Seattle) under pressure early." Said Coach Wilkinson, "We need to see if we can turn their defenders and get them to lose their shape and by that we need good movement off the ball, we need to keep the ball, and we need to keep the ball moving."
Added Wilkinson, "Against Seattle we're still gonna look to get forward and we gotta keep looking to create as many chances as we have in the past, except we need to put these ones away."
The Portland-Seattle rivalry dates as far back as 1975, spanning across not only multiple decades, but also different soccer leagues including the NASL and most recently in the USL. The intensity of the rivalry has seemed to increase in recent years with the growth of soccer in the Northwest and the loss of the Blazers-Sonics rivalry both as contributing reasons. Many experts have predicted that the Timbers & Sounders will not only become the premiere rivalry in North America, but will stand out as one of the cornerstones for the continuing growth of the MLS.
"When you talk about soccer in American, it's one of the best rivalries that exists." Said Coach Wilkinson, "The rivalry is not only on the field it's off the field, it's city to city, its huge in every regard."
Added Wilkinson, "We have a huge level of respect to our fans. Our fans invest so much and our players feel obligated to give back to those fans. So the rivalry is enhanced maybe because the pressure the fans put on the players and then the responsibility the players feel to the fans."
"It's evident every time (both teams) get together that it's a blood-battle." Said Keel, "Everyone on the field is giving everything they have and everyone is fighting as hard as they possibly can."
"At first I didn't quite understand (the rivalry)," Said midfielder Tony McManus, "I knew there was a strong dislike between Portland and Seattle coming into last year, but until you come into the stadium an hour before kick-off and the whole place is packed and everyone, their fans, our fans are all excited, you feel like it's the 55th minute with how loud it is and it's like, whoa we have an hour before kick-off still? So, everyone who's new to the team will get a quick update on just how big this rivalry is..... there is a legitimate dislike from our fans to their fans and I think that's awesome, it makes it better, more fun."
So, expect a packed and passionate PGE Park tomorrow night. Expect the spirit of the Timber's Army to be on full display. Expect lots of flag waving and endless amounts of streamers. Expect songs to be screamed Expect extravagant Tifos. Expect an ocean of green. Expect Soccer City. Brace yourself cause here we go! Another chapter in the history of this important rivalry is about to be written.
"You have two passionate groups of fans who think they're better than one another," Said Coach Wilkinson with a smile, "Obviously ours are better."
** UPDATE **
The winner of tonight's Timbers/Sounders match will face the LA Galaxy in the quarterfinal round of the US Open Cup on July 7th. The Galaxy beat AC St Louis 2-0 in a competitive match last night in Los Angeles to advance onto the next round. Chris Klein and Juninho both scored goals for the Galaxy in the 2nd half, here's a short recap.
USA v England Preview
