Timbers claim Cascadia Cup trophy after battling Sounders to 1-1 draw

SEATTLE – Emotion won Saturday.

The Sounders hosted a quintessential Cascadia derby with rain, vulgar chants and a pregame rock band playing Jimi Hendrix. The match against Portland ticked all the boxes of a rivalry, too, with the Timbers wrestling the Sounders out of character to tip an already level match into their favor.

Portland used a player advantage to continue its dominance against Seattle at Lumen Field. The Sounders struggled to connect passes to get attempts at goal and missed looks that appeared simple to draw 1-1.

The result gave the Timbers the Cascadia Cup trophy, an award given by the supporters of the Pacific Northwest teams, including the Vancouver Whitecaps. Portland also pushed its unbeaten streak to 11 matches (6-0-5) at Lumen. Seattle hasn’t defeated its rival at home since May 2017.

In addition to losing out on another trophy, the Sounders didn’t capitalize on the easiest route to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The last opportunity within their direct control is winning MLS Cup. There are a host of default ways.

But the Sounders (16-9-9) did finish the regular season on a seven-game unbeaten streak. They dropped to fourth in the Western Conference standings and will host Houston (15-10-9) in a best-of-three opening playoff round.

The Timbers will play a midweek play-in game against the Whitecaps.

Portland (12-11-11) crafted their equalizing goal from a turnover high up the field against Sounders midfielder Pedro de la Vega. Timbers maestro Evander slid a pass to Antony, who tripped up defender Jackson Ragen and used the cleared space to beat Nouhou to send a right-footed shot past keeper Stefan Frei in the 68th minute.

Seattle looked to quickly respond. But after a no-call in the 68th minute, Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas jumped and swung his fist in frustration but seemingly not directed at anyone. Referee Ismir Pekmic showed Vargas a yellow card, his second of the match, and sent him off in the 69th minute.

Seattle played the remainder of the match down a player. Vargas will serve a one-game suspension for Game 1 of the playoffs.

Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák tied Nico Lodeiro for most assists in a season (16) in the opening half. He sent a corner kick into the box that teammate Yeimar leapt and twisted to head past Portland keeper James Pantemis. The goal in the 37th minute was the defender’s first of the season.

Vargas helped create the corner-kick opportunity with a nice cross into the box for Rusnák to possibly score. Instead, Timbers midfielder Diego Chara raced in to head the ball out over the endline.

Lumen’s upper-deck seating was opened to ticket sales – and a Portland supporter’s section. The 36,341 in attendance were a season high for a Sounders home match.

Sounders forward Paul Rothrock was in the middle of the biggest scrums. The first in the opening half was with Antony. After the break, Evander roughed up Rothrock, the latter jumping up and giving a light shove back, Evander flopping to the ground.

Rothrock was shown a yellow card in the 59th minute.

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer used the same starting lineup as the 1-0 road win against Colorado earlier this month.

Portland took the field without defenders Zac McGraw (noninjury), Kamal Miller (yellow card accumulation) and Miguel Araujo (lower-body injury). Timbers coach Phil Neville was also without forward Santiago Moreno, who netted six goals and 14 assists in MLS competitions this season, due to a lower-body injury.