MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sept. 6, 2020
Kickoff: 7 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Wash.)
Forecast: Partly cloudy, 72 degrees
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Mike Rottersman
Fourth Official: Alex Chilowicz
VAR: Jon Freemon
Local TV: ROOT SPORTS
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst), Nat Borchers (analyst)
English Radio: 1029 and 750 the Game
Talent: Keith Bleyer (play-by-play), Joe Sleven (analyst), Fletcher Johnson (host)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
LAST TIME OUT
The Portland Timbers scored a pair of late second-half goals, but were unable to overcome an early deficit, falling 3-2 to the LA Galaxy on Wednesday night at Providence Park. Diego Valeri entered the match as a late-game substitute and recorded his 80th career MLS goal, while Felipe Mora scored for a second consecutive match.
SCOUTING SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Entering Sunday’s regular-season match against Portland, Seattle Sounders FC (4-1-3, 15pts) are coming off a 2-2 draw on the road to Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on Sept. 2, which extended a four-match unbeaten streak in dating back to a 3-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 19. Jordan Morris and Raúl RuidÃaz rank tied for first on the team with five goals, while Nicolás Lodeiro leads the team with three assists. Additionally, goalkeeper Stefan Frei has tallied 28 saves and three shutouts in eight league starts.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Sunday’s contest marks the 109th all-time meeting between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC since the 1975 season. Since the Timbers entered MLS in 2011, Sunday’s match will be the 35th match across all competitions between the two clubs, with the Timbers trailing the Sounders 13-15-6. In 19 regular season matches against the Sounders, Diego Valeri has tallied five goals and eight assists, while Diego Chara has played 22 regular-season matches against Seattle, which is the most by any player in the fixture in the clubs’ MLS eras. Notably, in four road matches against Seattle across all competitions since head coach Giovanni Savarese began coaching the club in 2018, the Timbers hold a 3-1-0 record, including a 4-2 penalty shootout win at CenturyLink Field in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Nov. 8, 2018.
GIO COACHING AGAINST SEATTLE
In nine matches coaching across all competitions against Seattle Sounders FC dating back to 2018, Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese holds a record of 5-4-0. Savarese has guided Portland to a 3-3-0 record against Seattle in regular- season play, a 1-1-0 record against the Sounders in the MLS Cup Playoffs and an undefeated record against Seattle (1-0-0) in U.S. Open Cup action. Notably, in four road matches against Seattle across all competitions, Savarese has managed the Timbers to a 3-1-0 record, including a 4-2 penalty shootout win at CenturyLink Field in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Nov. 8, 2018.
VALERI JOINS 80 GOALS / 80 ASSISTS CLUB
With his goal against the LA Galaxy on Sept. 2, Diego Valeri now sits at 80 goals and 83 assists in 219 appearances (209 starts) in league play since joining the Timbers in 2013. Valeri joins Landon Donovan (145 goals, 136 assists) and Jaime Moreno (133 goals, 102 assists) as the only players in MLS history to reach 80- plus goals and 80-plus assists in their career during the regular season. Since making his debut for Portland in 2013, Valeri leads all MLS players in assists (83), chances created from set plays (257), chances created from open play (368), ranks fifth in goals scored (80) and seventh in games played (219) during regular-season play. In 19 regular-season matches against the Sounders, Diego Valeri has tallied five goals and eight assists.
UNITED NATIONS OF THE PORTLAND TIMBERS
The Portland Timbers have one of the most diverse rosters in Major League Soccer, having 14 different countries represented. Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Slovenia, United States and Venezuela. Notably, 15 different players on the Timbers’ roster have made appearances for their respective national team.
