Score: Sounders FC 2 vs. Portland Timbers 0
Site: CenturyLink Field
MLS Regular Season
Records: Sounders FC (12-4-2, 38 points); Portland Timbers (4-6-9, 21 points)
Man of the Match: Clint Dempsey wasted no time in reacquainting himself with the CenturyLink Field faithful or his Sounders FC teammates. After a quiet first half, Dempsey netted his ninth goal of the season in the 71st minute to give Seattle a 1-0 lead. It was his fourth goal against Portland after scoring a hat trick in the previous meeting on April 5.
Telling Stat: 11-1. Obafemi Martins was a game-changer for Seattle when he entered in the 51st minute. Over the next 20 minutes, Sounders FC outshot Portland 11-1 until finally scoring on a three-shot sequence in the 71st minute.
What You Missed: Dempsey and DeAndre Yedlin both recorded messages to the fans, thanking them for their support while the duo was away with the U.S. National Team. They both transitioned seamlessly back into the Seattle lineup and made tremendous impacts in their returns to CenturyLink Field.
So What: Seattle remains unbreakable when the CenturyLink Field attendance swells. In 13 regular season matches when the crowd exceeds 40,000 fans, Sounders FC is now 10-0-3. With a crowd of 64,207 on hand Sunday, Seattle is now 4-0-2 when the full stadium is opened and attendance is over 60,000. The win extends Seattle’s lead in the Western Conference back to 10 points over Real Salt Lake and seven points in the Supporters’ Shield race over D.C. United.
