Portland Timbers. Seattle Sounders. It's a rivalry unlike any other and Sunday evening's pitch perfect night set the stage for another exciting chapter in the two clubs' history.
With the game scoreless in the 13th minute, Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts produced another of his patented world-class saves to keep Seattle off the board.
Then just before half time, Jack Jewsbury served in a searching ball that Seattle defenders tried to clear. The ball fell to Kalif Alhassan who fired the ball with authority past a diving Marcus Hahnemann to give the Timbers a 1-0 lead.
While Portland held the lead and Seattle went down to 10 men following a red card to Osvaldo Alonso, the Sounders' Lamar Neagle did get a dangerous shot past the Timbers' defense. Ricketts was once again up to the task.
