Portland Timbers Dominate Seattle Sounders in Cascadia Derby
- Eric Liu
- Jul 16
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 26
SEATTLE — The Portland Timbers returned from the FIFA World Cup break in dominant fashion, defeating longtime rivals Seattle Sounders FC 5-1 Thursday night at Lumen Field in the first Cascadia Cup matchup of the 2026 MLS season.
The rivalry match marked the first league game for both clubs since the extended World Cup break, and Portland wasted little time taking control. Kevin Kelsy opened the scoring in the 19th minute, giving the Timbers an early advantage before a strong second-half performance put the match out of reach.
After taking a one-goal lead into halftime, Portland exploded after the break. Kamal Miller doubled the advantage before Cole Bassett added another just minutes later. Kelsy scored his second goal of the night in the 63rd minute, continuing the Timbers’ relentless attack against Seattle’s defense. Alexander Aravena capped the scoring deep into stoppage time to complete a convincing 5-1 victory.
Seattle managed a late consolation goal through Hassani Dotson in the 87th minute, but it did little to change the outcome. The Sounders struggled to contain Portland’s attack throughout the evening, while the Timbers consistently created dangerous chances in transition and around the penalty area.
The result was a statement performance for Portland in one of Major League Soccer’s fiercest rivalries. The Timbers controlled the match in possession, generated more scoring opportunities and finished clinically in front of goal. Every time Seattle looked capable of building momentum, Portland responded with another goal.
For the Sounders, the loss was a disappointing return to league play after the World Cup break. Playing in front of their home supporters, Seattle hoped to start the second half of the MLS season with a rivalry victory but instead suffered one of the heaviest home defeats in recent Cascadia Cup history.
The victory also marked an impressive beginning to a new chapter for Portland following recent coaching changes. The Timbers delivered one of their strongest performances of the season and left Seattle with three valuable points and significant momentum for the remainder of the campaign.
As the MLS season resumes following the World Cup pause, Portland’s emphatic derby win provides confidence moving forward, while Seattle will look to regroup quickly after a difficult night against its biggest rival.
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