The Sounders had a tough act to follow in the Seattle sports scene on Saturday, kicking off on the same night as the Seattle Mariners packed T-Mobile Park for game one of the ALDS. But the Rave Green were able to do what the M’s weren’t: pick up a big win.
Brian Schmetzer is inarguably the most successful coach in the history of the Seattle Sounders, and one of the most successful in MLS history. However, he has spent the last eight seasons chasing a win at home against arch-rivals Portland. Schmetzer got the monkey off his back on Saturday night, defeating Portland 1-0 for the first win at Lumen against the Timbers since 2017.
Pre-game
Schmetzer didn’t pull any punches with his 11, starting all three Sounders Designated Players, Jordan Morris, Albert Rusnak and Pedro De La Vega, for the first time since July 19th vs San Jose.
Alex Roldan returned to the starting lineup after leaving Seattle’s previous match against Vancouver Whitecaps in the 18th minute with a hip injury, a welcome sign for the Rave Green fullback’s postseason availability.
Kim Kee-Hee took Yeimar’s place at center back as the Colombian recovers from an injury he picked up last week against Vancouver.
Sounders take first-half advantage
Seattle held the advantage in field-position through the first ten minutes, a reverse of what they showed early on against their other Cascadia Rival, Vancouver, a week ago.
Seattle capitalized on their pressure in the 16th minute, putting together a transition move starting with a Jesus Ferreira pass to Paul Rothrock, and ending with Alex Roldan rolling a ball in front for Pedro De La Vega to smash into the top of the net, 1-0.
I have been practicing following the play, so that I could be in the right position when the moment came, so I’m very excited about that.”
-Pedro De La Vega
Although a crowd of 32,913 marks the lowest in a Portland vs. Seattle match at Lumen Field, the Emerald City Supporters were in full voice, with “Build a Bonfire” echoing through the bowl and entirely drowning out an unusually tame Timbers Army
Jesus Ferreira was immense in the opening stages, helping to set up the first goal and coming close to doubling the lead in the 26th when a shot from 20 yards out blazed just over the crossbar.
Another standout of the first 45 was Nouhou, who physically dominated on the left flank, highlighted by a massive block on a close-range Kevin Kelsy effort in the 30th.
Stefan Frei produced a vintage robbery in the 34th, reacting to his left and somehow tipping wide a David Da Costa effort to keep it at 1-0.
“We stumbled over our own feet a bit, and it ended on a silver platter for them… I was able to be balanced and react, and it’s fortunate that I was able to keep the ball out of the back of the net.”
– Stefan Frei
Paul Rothrock had the best chance to make it 2-0 in the first half, pouncing on a flick header from De La Vega and finding himself closed down 1-on-1 just in time by Maxime Crepeau.
The teams would enter the tunnels with the hosts maintaining the advantage, having held Portland to less than 0.5 expected goals through 45 minutes.
Tense second-half
The only halftime sub for either side was Jon Bell replacing Kim Kee-hee at center back for Seattle. Schmetzer says the move was due to a tight calf.
Portland created their best chance of the night in the 57th, with Ian Smith playing Kevin Kelsey in behind Seattle’s back-line, but the Timbers striker dinked his shot just wide of the far post.
Brian Schmetzer did not appear to be satisfied with a one-goal cushion, putting in Georgi Minoungou and Danny Musovski for Jordan Morris and Pedro De La Vega in the 65th minute.
Seattle’s attacking subs immediately got to work, with Minoungou playing an inch-perfect cross along the turf for Musovski in a 67th-minute transition, but Moose was denied by a big point-blank save from Crepeau.
In the 70th minute, Jesus Ferreira went down on the pitch and was forced to be replaced by Danny Leyva, but was able to walk off under his own power. Schmetzer would say post-game that Ferreira was cramping.
Despite a breif hiccup Seattle was able to dictate the tempo in the final 20 minutes, looking more likely to double their lead than to relinquish it.
A brief break for Portland was silenced when a running shot from Velde was corralled by Frei in the 84th.
A final change was made by Schmetzer in the 87th, as veteran midfielder Joao Paulo replaced Paul Rothrock, receiving a warm welcome back from the Rave Green faithful.
Groans reverberated around the stadium as the 4th official signaled for a charitable minimum of five minutes of stoppage time.
The Timbers would have a last gasp in the third added minute when the ball would bounce in the box to the ever-dangerous Felipe Mora, but Frei easily held Mora’s shot. More drama was created by Albert Rusnak, who was sent off for a reckless sliding challenge into the leg of Omir Fernandez in the 97th minute.
Despite a tense and chippy final push from the visitors, the Rave Green would hold on to claim their first win over their arch rivals in Seattle in eight years. It was also the Sounders’ first shutout in seven MLS matches, as they kept Portland to just 0.5 expected goals.
The Sounders now cannot finish any lower than 6th in the regular-season table, and are in great position to finish as high as 5th in the Western Conference with two regular-season games remaining.
Post-match quotes:
Schmetzer was quick to praise the Timbers for their efforts to find an equalizer throughout the game:
“Portland made it an interesting game, they attacked with everything… Tonight the game just went in our favor.”
-Brian Schmetzer
A motif amongst players and coaches was the intensity of the match, and how that would help prepare the team for the post-season:
“If the team plays with that intensity, I think we have a good chance.”
-Brian Schmetzer
“It made for playoff vibes… this took upmost concentration to the 97th minute, and that’s what it’s going to take in the playoffs.”
-Stefan Frei
Pedro De La Vega made a welcome return to the starting 11 and picked up the winning goal. Schmezter talked post-match about his progression back from a knee injury:
“You can tell Pedro has a little hitch in his step, and that me be the new normal for the rest of the year. But he played well. He was doing the work, he was doing what I asked.”
-Brian Schmetzer
And it woulnd’t be a Schmetz post-match press conference without a mic-drop moment:
“We don’t like the Timbers, and this was very cathartic for us.”
-Brian Schmetzer
MATCH NOTES
- Seattle stays in fifth place in the Western Conference with the result, sitting on 49 points (13-9-10).
- The Rave Green are now 16-15-11 against Portland in MLS play. The two sides drew 1-1 earlier this year at Providence Park.
- Dating back to 1975, Portland and Seattle have faced off 124 times. The Rave Green lead the all-time series 58-47-19.
- Pedro de la Vega’s goal in the 16th minute was his 10th of the season in all competitions and fourth in MLS play. The midfielder was making his first start since August 31 against Inter Miami CF in the Leagues Cup Final.
- Alex Roldan and Jesús Ferreira both provided assists on de la Vega’s goal, their ninth and 10th in all competitions, respectfully.
- With the result, Seattle finishes in second place in the Cascadia Cup standings with five points (1-1-2). Vancouver won the regional trophy this year with eight points (2-0-2).
- Brian Schmetzer made two changes to the starting lineup from Saturday’s match against Vancouver, with Kim Kee-hee and Pedro de la Vega replacing Yeimar Gómez Andrade and Snyder Brunell.
- Seattle hosts its final home match of the regular season against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, October 11 on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field (6:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 – Portland Timbers 0
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Venue: Lumen Field
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
Assistants: Kathryn Nesbitt, Meghan Mullen
Fourth Official: Marcos de Oliveira
VAR: Carol Anne Chenard
Attendance: 32,913
Weather: 56 degrees and mostly clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Pedro de la Vega (Alex Roldan, Jesús Ferreira) 16’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR – Ian Smith (caution) 78’
SEA – Albert Rusnák (ejection) 90’+6’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei – Captain; Alex Roldan, Kim Kee-hee (Jonathan Bell HT), Jackson Ragen, Nouhou; Albert Rusnák, Cristian Roldan; Paul Rothrock (João Paulo 87’), Jesús Ferreira (Danny Leyva 70’), Pedro de la Vega (Georgi Minoungou 64’); Jordan Morris (Danny Musovski 65’)
Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Snyder Brunell, Osaze De Rosario
Total shots: 10
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 11
Offside: 3
Corner-Kicks: 3
Saves: 4
Portland Timbers – Maxime Crépeau; Ian Smith (Ariel Lassiter 79’), Kamal Miller, Finn Surman, Juan Mosquera; David Ayala (Diego Chara 79’), David Da Costa (Omir Fernández 84’), Cristhian Paredes (Felipe Mora 84’); Kristoffer Velde, Kevin Kelsy (Gage Guerra 79’), Antony
Substitutes not used: Eric Miller, Trey Muse, Sawyer Jura, Joao Ortiz
Total shots: 10
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 10
Offside: 5
Corner-kicks: 6
Saves: 2
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