MLS Multiplex
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next

Seattle and Portland in the WSL/WSA

After folding, the Sounders and the Timbers were re-branded to FC Seattle and FC Portland in 1985 to play in a multitude of different leagues until 1990. During that time, the Timbers went 6-5-2 over the Sounders, having a slight overall 1 game advantage.

In 1985, FC Portland played host to FC Seattle in the first of 2 meetings between the sides that season in the Wester Alliance Challenge Cup. Though tied at 1-1 in the 11th-minute, Seattle ended up running away with the game for the largest margin of victory in rivalry history, 6-1. A hat-trick was scored by Bruce Raney and current Sounders interim head coach Brian Schmetzer even found himself on the score sheet with a goal in the 13th-minute.

Though these teams weren’t necessarily the Sounders and the Timbers going at it, the rivalry was still there, the hatred between the two fan groups was still there. After the 1990 season, though, the American Professional Soccer League-the US professional league at the time-folded after just one season without any other league to take its spot. The rivalry still stayed intact in other ways, like basketball and urban growth and expansion, but it wasn’t until 2001, when the USL A-League started up, that the Timbers and Sounders were back at it on the pitch.

Next: Seattle and Portland in the USL

Home/MLS News