It might just be a pre-season game, but any time soccer teams from the Pacific Northwest meet, the match has special meaning.
The Seattle Sounders take on the Portland Timbers tonight in the first game of the Cascadia Summit, a round-robin tournament featuring the Sounders, Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps. All three games this weekend are being played in Seattle.
Tonight's match is being streamed live on the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders team websites. If you will be watching (or attending) tonight's pre-season match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action.
You should change the title! And I’m coming in from starfire! So pumped!
Come on boys take them all!
game is streaming live on the sounders site right now:
http://www.soundersfc.com
Terrible stream. Makes it hard to watch.
Yeah, my stream is fine but the lighting and camerawork is pretty bad. But it’s free. Can’t understand why it always get’s dark in Portland offensive third
Game is pretty sloppy. Very wet and windy
I’m not impressed with Harkes being on commentary on the Sounders site. This is the Cascadia Summit, get a Cascadian.
hmm doesnt sound like harkesy to me. a nice little buildup on the portland goal but the fans are the star so far. really impressive atmosphere including the evergreens in the background.
too much long ball by the outside backs on both teams. As soon as they feel a little pressured they hoof it up the field.
Well, that’s just because I was wrong!
Frankly, MOTM so far’s been Sizzo. Nkufo’s been dangerous when we’ve gotten the ball to his feet in the final 1/3, but that’s only happened two or three times.
I think that has a bunch to do with the weather. It’s nasty out there. Keller wouldn’t usually spill that ball.
Other than that nice sequence of passing by the Timbers on the goal, the Sounders have been in control for the most part. Nice to see so many fans supporting their teams in the pre-season in the rain.
Really? I mean as soon as Portland so much as touches the ball they go route one.
Tickets were going for $50 a pop on Craigslist. I woulda been there, but it sold out to quick, and I was trying to get tix the moment they went on sale.
portland is killing seattle
brunner dropped N’kufo like a ton of bricks with that clean tackle
and steve purdy and sal zizzo are embarrassing seattle’s left side.
lol. Portland killing Seattle? Are we watching the same game? The one time they play the ball on the ground they score, but otherwise Seattle has held the run of play
Um, yeah. Seattle’s been dominant defensively and in midfield, save the good connecting play that ended with the goal for PDX. Keller makes that save 90% of the time, but sometimes the ball goes in.
Seattle is still having trouble carrying the ball from the middle 1/3 to the final 1/3. The only effective CAM we’ve had is Montero.
Zizzo has been the best player in the match, save Nkufo, who we can’t get the ball to.
I’m expecting much more out of Seattle in the second half, and if we don’t see much more of an attacking instinct out of Evans, Fernandez and Zak, then I’m plenty happy to see Friberg, Rosales and White give it a go.
Oh dear. As a Sounders fan, I fear the potential of these matchups to create the good ol’ BigSoccer atmosphere all over the internet.
Well taken by Pellazo (msp?), but Keller really shouldn’t spill that one. Fernandez missed quite the sitter as well.
In general, both teams seem to dislike the narrow pitch at Starfire. Having refereed plenty of games on that pitch, its perfect for quality youth teams and adult kick abouts, but I’m not convinced it is worthy of these guys.
Where’s Ngabe?
I’ve been watching the Spurs/Heat and Sounders/Timbers so I haven’t been completely focused…but I agree that Zizzo has looked good, Seattle is clearly a team that’s played together more as evidenced by their passing, however Seattle’s struggling in the final third…2 cents
Portland is doing well so far. Seattle is having problems breaking through Portland’s defense. Is Kenny Cooper playing? Seattle seems to be marking him well.
Nagbe had sports hernia surgery today and will be out for 2-4 weeks.
I find it funny that PDX is not wearing their colors. Since day 1 Sounders were all about building a brand with the green.
PDX isn’t even wearing a real kit, hiding their kit until the season starts.
What is going on with the commentary? Why is there a new commentator all of the sudden? I was enjoying the British guy’s play by play.
Look at the trees/flags. This second half is going to have better weather. We can expect better footie out of both sides.
Yeah I just wish both teams would try to work the ball up the field on the ground. Its much more fun to watch that way
Shots like that one from Alonso make it even worse to not have replay.
Dear lord! Fernandez has to put the ball in the net!
Fernandez is still trying to find his tough tonight.
Portland doesn’t need to build its brand cause we already have fans.
Seattle got “great fans” because they got MLS.
Portland got MLS because they have great fans.
I love Arlo. In this case, he’s explaining to the listening audience how the referee made a controversial decision about how the Sounders didn’t get the call and the ref got it right. That’s class.
Evans is garbage…Where is this Fiedberg guy???
Flaco is the key this year…He should have been ready for this match…Disappointing
Goals. Flaco needs goals. All theory about pretty football aside, Zakuani was our only goal-threat from the midfield this year. We need goals from the mid from other people this year if we’re gonna take the next step.
That was so close from Seattle! Goalie and another Portland player down. I don’t like not having replays.
Arlo White for the Sounders did play by play for the first half, they switched roles for the 2nd half to be fair to both teams.
Alright, I gotta admit I’m beginning to enjoy Arlo and Strong.
LOL @ Steve. Staying on point like he works for Fox News.
Bah, another preseason game versus PDX where Seattle dominates the game but cant score in the end.
apparently every black player is call Nkufo to Smith.
Nice goal from Cooper from close range.
Strong?
Nice goal from Kenny Cooper. I’m very dissapointed with Seattle.
my sentiments.
LOL! Well, I already called him Harkes earlier in the thread, so I might as well blow his name again.
We dominated the match, we just didn’t finish our chances. PDX finished theirs, and got the win.
I’m not worried, as over the course of the season class will rise to the top, but on any given night anyone can finish
But I’m a Cascadian Nationalist. I truly hope that Portland finishes third in MLS.
Oh well, goal scoring is over rated.
@ Nani- I donno if el Flaco is the key for SSFC this season. I’d prefer to see a threat through the center of midfield other than Alonso.
That guy in the middle is either Flaco or Friberg…Neither is making a case.
I’m not trying to underrate what PDX did today. They played well and they finished their chances.
Seattle create many more chances. We dominated the midfield and generally controlled the pitch, but we didn’t finish. PDX did. They deserved the win. . . .
. . . . on the day. Hats off to them.
At the end of the season, we’re a better team.
The MLS is very competitive. Any team can beat any other team on any given day. Over the course of the season, class will rise to the top.
Backwards compliment much?
I didn’t mean to make it backwards, that was intended to compliment the ‘scum. PDX played well, they finished their chances. Now do it over the course of a season.
gladly that’s our first of five wins over the sounders this year.
+1. I liked the Friberg substitution, and would have liked to see him start.
You should forgive any fans from Seattle for their petulance. It isn’t easy living in a city that can never bring him a championship.
2 USOC Championships, 4 USL Championships and 1 NASL Conference Championship?
Ditto
Thats funny, I am reading the same comment I had, with my name on it.
Same old Sounders who can’t finish to save their lives. I’m gonna enjoy watching them not score any goals in the playoffs.
Let’s compare trophy cases Portland. Oh wait, you don’t have one yet.
Should’ve just shown up. People were selling tix for $20-$30. If you don’t have tix for Sunday I’d do that.
Holding out from wearing the kits until it counts. I think that is wise.
John Strong is the best soccer announcer for Portland. And, he’s American! He has single handedly given Timbers a huge radio presence in the area.
The outsides are constrained and they cant maneuver like they normally would. i think its part of the reason for the long ball