After draw vs. Timbers, Sounders settle for No. 4 seed in Western Conference

League: MLS


Posted on: 20 Oct, 2024 at 03:42 AM

Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Antony's goal in the second half allowed the Portland Timbers to notch a 1-1 tie against the host Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.

Yeimar scored the lone goal for Seattle. The Sounders (16-9-9, 57 points) finished fourth in the Western Conference as Real Salt Lake took third with its victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps.

James Pantemis made five saves for Portland (12-11-11, 47 points), which is the No. 9 seed in the West. However, the Timbers will host the No. 8-seed Whitecaps in the wild-card round because Vancouver's home facility is unavailable.

Portland claimed the Cascadia Cup -- a three-team competition between the Timbers, Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps -- with the draw.

Portland went 2-1-0 against Seattle this season.

Stefan Frei made one save for the Sounders. Seattle had a 16-7 edge in shots and placed six on target to Portland's two.

The Timbers tied the score in the 68th minute as Evander set up Antony, who knocked a right-footer into the bottom left corner. The goal was the sixth of the season for Antony.

The assist was the 19th for Evander, who finished in a tie with FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta for the league lead.

The best opportunity in second-half stoppage time came in the fifth minute when Jonathan Rodriguez had room on the left side. But he sent his right-footed shot wide to the right of the net.

Seattle took a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute off a corner kick.

Albert Rusnak booted the ball toward the box and Yeimar jumped and snapped a header into the left corner of the net. The goal was the first of the season for Yeimar and Rusnak's 16th assist of the season.

The Sounders outshot Portland 6-1 in the first half.

Seattle had two solid chances in a three-minute span of the second half. Pantemis made a stellar leg save on Jordan Morris' right-footed blast in the 59th minute then snagged Yeimar's header in the 61st minute.

--Field Level Media