Portland claims the Cascadia Cup, Dairon Asprilla and Sebastián Blanco tally goals
The Portland Timbers earned a hard-fought 2-1 comeback win against Cascadia rival Seattle Sounders FC at Providence Park on Friday night. After conceding in the eighth minute, Dairon Asprilla responded with a penalty-kick goal just before halftime and Sebastián Blanco sealed the result early into the second half. Portland reclaimed the Cascadia Cup for the first time since 2017 with the win, having gone unbeaten (3-0-1) against Cascadia rivals Seattle and Vancouver Whitecaps FC this season.
Blanco & Asprilla Connection
Blanco and Asprilla connected on a goal in back-to-back matches, seeing Asprilla assist a goal to Blanco tonight and in their match against Sporting Kansas City on Aug. 21. Blanco registered his seventh goal of the campaign tonight, totaling his team-leading 22nd point. Blanco has recorded a goal or an assist in Portland’s last three matches. Asprilla’s penalty-kick goal was his sixth goal of the season while he tallied his second assist in a second consecutive match. Asprilla registered a goal and an assist in the same match for the sixth time in his career and for a second time against Seattle.
Portland Sweeps Seattle
Tonight’s win marked just the second time the home team has won between the Timbers and Sounders in their last 11 regular season matchups. Portland is unbeaten in three straight matches against the Sounders (3-0-0), dating back to Aug. 29, 2021, outscoring them 7-1 in that stretch. The Timbers swept the series against Seattle this campaign (2-0), marking the first time the Timbers have gone unbeaten against the Sounders in a season since 1981. Blanco and Asprilla both scored against Seattle in a second straight match.
Cascadia Cup Winners
With the win, the Timbers held an unbeaten record against their Cascadia rivals Seattle (2-0-0) and Vancouver (1-0-1) in the 2022 season. Tonight’s victory secured the 2022 Cascadia Cup for Portland for the first time since 2017 and the third time in its MLS history (2022, 2017, 2012). The Timbers scored nine goals in four matches played against Cascadia rivals, the most goals scored by a team against their opponents so far. Dairon Asprilla currently leads the golden boot race with three scored against Seattle and Vancouver this season.
Goal-Scoring Plays
SEA: Yéimar Gómez (Alex Roldán, Nicolas Lodeiro), 8th minute: Nicolas Lodeiro played it wide for Alex Roldán, who set a cross toward the back post. Yéimar Gómez won the header out of the air and drilled it into the back of the net.
POR: Dairon Asprilla (penalty kick), 41st minute: Eryk Williamson was fouled in the box and Portland was awarded a penalty kick. Asprilla stepped up and converted the attempt.
POR: Sebastián Blanco (Dairon Asprilla, Eryk Williamson), 51st minute: From just outside of the 18-yard box, Williamson curled a free kick toward the far post. Asprilla delivered a one-touch pass across the face of the goal, finding Blanco for the open-net volley.
Notes
- • With the win, the Timbers claimed the Cascadia Cup for the first time since 2017 and for a third time in team history (2022, 2017, 2012).
- • Portland went unbeaten against Cascadia opponents this season with a record of 3-0-1.
- • The Timbers are unbeaten in three straight matches against the Sounders (3-0-0), dating back to Aug. 29, 2021. Portland has outscored them 7-1 in that stretch.
- • Portland swept the series against Seattle this campaign (2-0), marking the first time the Timbers have gone unbeaten against the Sounders in a season since 1981.
- • Tonight’s win marked just the second time the home team has won between the Timbers and Sounders in their last 11 regular season matchups.
- • The Timbers are unbeaten in their last seven matches at Providence Park, posting a record of 4-0-3 since June 25.
- • Dairon Asprilla registered his sixth goal of the 2022 campaign.
- • Portland has three players with six or more goals this season (Asprilla, Sebastián Blanco, Jaroslaw Niezgoda).
- • Asprilla has converted all three of his penalty-kick attempts this season, and seven out of seven attempts in his MLS career.
- • Asprilla tallied his second assist of the season in a second-consecutive match.
- • Asprilla registered a goal and an assist in the same match for the sixth time in his career and for a second time against Seattle.
- • Sebastián Blanco scored his seventh goal of the campaign.
- • Blanco has scored in back-to-back matches (Kansas City), with both goals being assisted by Asprilla.
- • Blanco has recorded a goal or an assist in Portland’s last three matches (2g, 1a).
- • With 22 points this season, Blanco leads the Timbers (7g, 8a).
- • Asprilla and Blanco both registered a goal against Seattle in a second straight match.
- • Eryk Williamson tallied his seventh assist of the season.
- • Four Timbers players have seven or more assists in the 2022 campaign (Williamson, Santiago Moreno, Blanco, Yimmi Chara).
- • Portland has scored in 14 consecutive matches, tallying 25 goals during that stretch.
- • The Timbers have scored 13 goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the league this season.
