Sounders Face Timbers in US Open Cup
By Ben Renner
The Sounders play the Portland Timbers several times a year. The rivalry is as fierce as ever as Seattle prepares to take on Portland in the US Open Cup tonight.
Both the Sounders and the Portland Timbers will be missing several key players tonight when the two sides meet for a single elimination contest in the US Open Cup, the longest-running national soccer competition in the United States.
The contest will be held at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila tonight at 7:30. This is the second time in three years the Sounders have met the Timbers in the US Open Cup. The last match was of course the infamous Red Card Wedding, when Clint Dempsey ripped a referee’s log book in protest of that poopfest of a game.
Dempsey will be serving a suspension for his tantrum during the RCW. So despite returning from the United States Men’s team World Cup Qualifying tour today, he will be unavailable. Star forward Jordan Morris didn’t get playing time in the USMT’s draw against Mexico, but he’s unlikely to start tonight.
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The Sounders will be without Joevin Jones and Roman Torres, who are still participating in their respective national team’s qualifying matches.
The Timbers will reportedly be fielding a backup squad tonight against the Sounders after their 2-0 win Saturday against FC Dallas. That means we’re likely to see fourth overall SuperDraft pick and US Under-20 forward Jeremy Ebobisse on the Starfire pitch for Portland. Expect to see several S2 players on the field in this game for the Sounders as well. Seattle has signed multiple S2 players to four-day, first team contracts to participate in this Open Cup match.
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The Sounders won three consecutive US Open Cup titles between 2009 and 2011 before taking their fourth Cup in 2014. They dropped a 4-2 result to the LA Galaxy in the quarterfinals last year.