Everything you need to know about Sounders-Timbers

The Seattle Sounders have a chance to clinch the No. 3 position in the Western Conference, a place in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup and the Cascadia Cup by beating the Portland Timbers on Decision Day.

Here’s what you need to know:

Injury news

Sounders

OUT: Josh Atencio - Concussion protocol; Cody Baker - Concussion Protocol

Timbers

OUT: Zac McGraw – Not Due to Injury; Kamal Miller — Yellow-card accumulation

QUESTIONABLE: Miguel Araujo - Lower Body; Santiago Moreno - Lower Body

Stats to look smart

The Sounders have not beaten the Timbers in the regular season since May 27, 2017, a stretch of 10 games. It’s the longest home winless streak they’ve had against any opponent and their longest active streak is just three games against LAFC.
The Timbers have scored 64 goals, three more than they’ve ever scored in a season until now. It’s also the second most goals of any team in the Western Conference.

Tactics to impress

The Sounders have been shut out just four times over their last 28 games across all competitions, and three of those were in games where the opposition simply sat back and absorbed pressure. Although the Timbers pulled that off in the last meeting, they’re unlikely to attempt that again. The Timbers have seen their most success playing far more wide open and with several of their top defenders out for this game, it stands to reason that they might be more interested in a wide open affair.
Defensively, the Sounders have posted shutouts in 5 of their last six games and have allowed just five goals in eight league games since the end of Leagues Cup. They’ve done this with a newfound commitment to counter-pressing. They’ll need to find the right balance between pressing the Timbers and stopping them from getting out on the counter.

Kit matchup

Opposition research

Standings

Cascadia Cup scenarios

Although the Vancouver Whitecaps currently lead the Cascadia Cup standings with eight points, they can not actually win it. That’s because both the Sounders are Timbers are tied on seven points. If the Sounders win today’s game, they’ll claim reclaim George. If the game ends in a tie, it will go to a tiebreaker between all tied teams. In this case, the Sounders and Timbers would be equal on goal-difference but the Timbers would emerge with more goals scored.