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Looking at the History of the Seattle-Portland Rivalry

By Matthew Nelson

Aug 24, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; The Timbers Army raises the Tifo before the game of Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Susan Ragan-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 24, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; The Timbers Army raises the Tifo before the game of Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Susan Ragan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Seattle and Portland in the NASL

The rivalry all started on May 2, 1975. The two sides faced off for the first time ever in the Timbers’ inaugural game. The game was played at Portland Civic Stadium, now known as Providence Park, with 8,500 people in attendance. Seattle ruined the party mood as they came away 1-0 victors over Portland. Portland, later that season, traveled up to Seattle on July 26, 1975 a defeated the Sounders 2-1 in front of 27,310 people packed in the old Kingdom.

The rivalry that was just starting between the two teams took a step deeper when they met in the NASL playoffs. Overall, Portland had the better record throughout the season, going 16-6 to Seattle’s 15-7. The better record gave Portland the advantage of hosting the Sounders in that quarterfinal meeting. In the end, Portland needed to go to extra time, but found the game winner, moving on after a 2-1 result.

4 years later, on June 30, 1979 Portland traveled up to Seattle to lose 5-1 to the Sounders, which would stand as the biggest margin of victory between the two teams until the 80’s. It wasn’t long, though, until the Portland Timbers club folded after the 1982 NASL season. Seattle quickly followed suit and folded at the end of the 1983 NASL season, followed up by the whole NASL league folding in 1985.

Next: Seattle and Portland in the WSL/WSA

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