Sounders come up empty in Portland as Timbers leapfrog Seattle in standings

PORTLAND — Jordan Morris wants to prove he can play a traditional striker position up top; the assignment was to show it against Portland.

The Sounders forward had three perfect opportunities in the Cascadia Derby Saturday. One was too direct, another deep from the right flank sailed past goal and the last, in the 68th minute, was cut off from behind.

Timbers defender Juan Mosquera showed Morris how it’s done, taking a feed from midfielder Evander and, in a near replica attempt from deep, looped a right-foot shot into the net. The goal in the 55th minute handed Seattle a 1-0 loss at Providence Park. It also extended Portland’s home unbeaten streak to 11 matches since losing to Seattle in May.

For Morris, it’s been eight years since the Mercer Island alum has scored against his rival.

“On the road, you’ve got to just make the most out of the few chances that you’re going to get,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. “We can play with this team. The last time we played them down here, we had good possession moments. The same like [Saturday], we had good possession moments. … For me, it was just that little bit of sharpness.”

Schmetzer subbed forward Raúl Ruidíaz on in the 56th minute. The Peruvian is the all-time leading scorer in the series with 13 goals, including the game-winner earlier this season.

But Portland played one of its better defensive matches to secure the win.

“We’re all mad we just lost to Portland, but a lot of the rhetoric [in the locker room] is positive,” Sounders midfielder Josh Atencio said. “Or trying to be positive. The guys, especially the leaders of the team, looked at everybody and said, ‘[expletive] like this happens. We have to move forward, especially this late in the season.”

The Providence Park environment Saturday was heated from the weather to the duels between players and through the sellout crowd of 25,918. Green smoke was released after the goal was scored, as Portland was able to leap Seattle in the Western Conference standings.

The Sounders (11-9-7) dropped to eighth — a play-in playoff slot. Portland (11-9-7) is sixth. Seattle has seven league matches remaining,

Seattle will travel to play the reigning MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew next week. The Crew (14-4-7) recently won Leagues Cup and are third in Eastern Conference standings.

Sounders keeper Stefan Frei left the match in the eighth minute under the concussion substitution with a head laceration. The club captain took a knee to the head as he saved forward Mason Toye’s rebound attempt on the goal line.

Frei was able to walk off the field beside trainers with a blood-soaked towel covering the gash on the left side of his head. He needed 10 stitches, according to Schmetzer.

Andrew Thomas replaced him in goal. It’s his sixth MLS match of the season.

Thomas was inches from denying Mosquera’s score.

“It was agonizingly close,” Thomas said. “I’m pretty pissed off, honestly. It’s one of those where it’s an inch lower, I get a hand on it and it goes around the corner. It’s one of those you dream of on the road against your rivals. I want that one back.”

Schmetzer changed his midfield to start the match. Cristian Roldan paired with Atencio while Sounders mainstays João Paulo and Obed Vargas were reserves.

The adjustment cleared a spot for Pedro de la Vega to start on the right wing with Paul Rothrock remaining on the left. It was de la Vega’s fourth MLS start of the season.

Portland turned to Evander for offense with attackers Jonathan Rodríguez and Felipe Mora suspended for the match. Rodríguez served a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation. Mora was sent off in Portland’s draw against St. Louis City last week for violent conduct. They’ve accounted for 26 goals and 11 assists combined this season.

“When I was in the [Sounders] academy, this was the game I dreamed of,” Atencio said of his first start in the derby. “It hurts to drop three points to them, for sure.”

After Frei’s double-save, the Timbers had an opportunity against Thomas in the 24th minute that the keeper teamed with Alex Roldan to dispose. Nouhou blocked Portland’s recycled attempt.

Seattle’s best look in the opening half was a header deep in the box by Morris in the 33rd minute. But it was directed at the hands of keeper Maxime Crépeau for the easy save.

Toye got on the end of more attempts that missed in the 35th minute and was saved by Thomas in stoppage time to send the sides into the break goalless.

“Maybe one or two fresh legs” would have made a difference, Schmetzer reflected on his lineup choices. The bulk of the lineup was part of Wednesday’s loss to Los Angeles FC in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.