Timbers leave Sounders frustrated and down a man to open the playoffs

The final score regular-season finale read 1-1. A point was awarded in the standings. 

But that was not a draw. That was a defeat. 

Perhaps the result seemed inevitable to certain Sounders fans who have been incessantly flustered for the past seven years. The Sounders have not been able to beat the Timbers at Lumen Field since 2017. 

They’ve managed to win an MLS Cup and reach two other finals since then. They’ve captured a CONCACAF Champions Cup and watched Clint Dempsey retire, too. 

But every time Portland — Seattle’s chief rival — comes to town, something like that happens. What’s that, in this case? An ostensible victory turned into a devastating draw punctuated by a red card that will cost the Sounders a starter in their first playoff game. 

The Timbers, man. Every. Single. Time. 

As most of you know, this is nothing close to a “friendly rivalry.” These teams despise each other. And even though the Sounders are the more accomplished organization, the fact that they haven’t been able beat Portland at home in their last 11 tries gnaws at them incessantly. 

It looked like that streak might come to a merciful end when Seattle’s Yeimar headed in a goal off an Albert Rusnak corner kick in the 37th minute to put his team up 1-0. The score remained that way until the 68th minute despite an array of opportunities for the Sounders to extend the lead. 

Then, Timbers attacker Antony slithered through Seattle’s defense and tied the game. That quieted the fans. What happened next incensed them. 

In the 69th minute, Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas showed displeasure after not getting a call after contact with Portland’s Felipe Mora. Vargas’ actions didn’t seem egregious but it prompted the official to issue him his second yellow card of the match — which translates into a red card. Not only did that get the 19-year-old ejected, but it will prevent him from playing in the Sounders’ first playoff game. 

At that point, getting the victory went from questionable to doubtful. There were still a couple chances to score, but the ball never found the back of the net. 

The result was the Sounders (16-9-9) losing the Cascadia Cup to Portland (12-11-11) and seriously damaging their chances to qualify for the Champions Cup. 

Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer did not hide his disappointment.

“Everybody’s super frustrated. This was as good a chance as any to end that streak,” said Schmetzer. “What can I say, the game unfolded in a certain manner. I thought we were in control of the game, and things just didn’t end up in our favor. It is a loss, by the way. It’s a complete loss.” 

Schmetzer didn’t attempt to make excuses for his team during his 10 minutes with the media Saturday. But the red card on Vargas was an inevitable topic for the Q&A. The coach thinks the referee simply didn’t realize Obed had already been issued a yellow card, adding that a “more experienced” official likely wouldn’t have made the mistake. 

Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei was a bit more incisive. 

“It’s so frustrating. I mean, I go at halftime, I go to the referee, I try to tell him ‘look, there’s gotta be a difference between a foul where you’re trying to go for the ball and a foul when you’re not trying to go for the ball’… I’m trying to have a good talk with him as a captain to a referee so I can understand and can tell my teammates where we’re headed with this,” Frei said. “I also tell him when you’re calling advantages, there have to be advantages. He literally takes three advantages away from us, then gives a yellow card. I don’t understand it. I don’t. It’s mind-blowing.”

Like Schmetzer, Frei did not blame the official for the loss. The Sounders were up 1-0 at one point, and the ejection came after Portland had tied the score. Seattle wasn’t robbed of a victory Saturday, but it may have been robbed of a chance to win in the final 25 minutes. 

The Sounders’ second half of the season was one of the more remarkable stretches in franchise history. They lost just twice in their final 17 games, managed 12 wins over that span and are in the midst of a seven-game unbeaten streak. 

But there was nothing to celebrate Saturday.

The Sounders are playing as well as just about any team in the Western Conference. They could legitimately end up with the MLS Cup. 

Even so, this draw will stick with them. The streak continues. The pain does, too.