SEATTLE, Wash.
- The Portland Timbers were handed their second consecutive road loss falling to the Seattle Sounders 2-0 at Qwest Field on Wednesday night. With the win, the Sounders creep to within two points of the Timbers at the top of the USL First Division.
After a seven-match winning streak, the Timbers (11-4-4, 37pts) are 0-2-1 in their last three matches and have been held scoreless since July 21 - a span of 294 minutes. Portland has lost their last two matches on the road, falling 2-0 at the Charleston Battery on July 22. Seattle is responsible for two of the Timbers' four losses this season.
With the win, Seattle (10-5-5, 35pts) extends its unbeaten streak to six matches and marks the first time since 2001 the Timbers have not recorded a victory over their Northwest counterparts. Portland finished its 2007 regular-season series against Seattle with a 0-2-1 record.
Portland goalkeeper Josh Wicks recorded four saves on six shots faced throughout the contest.
Midfielder Josh Gardner gave the Sounders a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute on a low line drive from the top of the box. Left with time and room, Gardner crushed a shot inside the far post past a diving Wicks.
In the second half, Seattle forward Sebastian Le Toux capped the night's scoring with his team-high sixth goal of the season. Receiving the ball in the box, Seattle's Roger Levesque slipped Le Toux the ball as he slid through a congested six-yard box and knocked it into the back of the net.
Perhaps Portland's best chance of the night was in the first half on a free kick by midfielder Andrew Gregor. Set up about 35 yards out along the left post, Gregor curled the ball towards the back post and narrowly missed the head of defender Justin Thompson before it sailed out of play.
Notes: Portland midfielder Tom Poltl and defender Scot Thompson both missed the match due to a league-imposed yellow card accumulation suspension ... The Timbers had four corner kicks in the second half ... The Sounders captured the Cascadia Cup for the second straight year with their 2-0 win over Portland.
The Timbers head east to play the Minnesota Thunder on Saturday at James Griffith Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on www.portlandtimbers.com.
Lineups:
POR: GK Wicks, D Griffin, D J. Thompson, D Knowles, D Higgins, M Lara (Hague, 65), M Dombrowski, M Gregor, M Kreamalmeyer, F Jordan (Ready, 82), F M. Taylor (Olum, 85)
SEA: GK Eylander, D Scott, D Graham (Jackson, 70), D Merl, M Sakuda, M Treschuk, M Alcaraz-Cuellar, M Gardner (Rivera, 83), F Howes, F Le Toux, F Levesque (Sturm, 82)
Scoring Summary:
SEA: Gardner, 32
SEA: Le Toux (Levesque), 68
