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SPORTS Saturday 12 May 2018

In a U.S. soccer rivalry dating to 1975, this one is notable

By ANNE M. PETERSON and has been a model for tential World Cup players:
AP Sports Writer others that have followed. Nicolas Lodeiro (Uruguay),
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — There’s really nothing Gustav Svensson (Sweden)
American soccer’s most quite like a Sounders-Tim- and Kim Kee-hee (South
storied rivalry reaches a bers match.” There have Korea).
milestone on Sunday. been some epic battles in Missing will be Sounders de-
That’s when the Seattle the MLS era between the fender Roman Torres, who
Sounders and the Portland teams. Portland won the plays for Panama. Torres
Timbers play for the 100th two-legged Western Con- has a hamstring injury that
time in a series that dates ference semifinals against is expected to sideline him
back to 1975, when both Seattle in 2013. The Tim- with the Sounders for some
teams were part of the bers have further bragging four weeks and could put
North American Soccer rights because they won his chances of playing for
League. The rivalry perse- an MLS Cup first. his country at the World
vered throughout the years One note: Sunday’s match Cup in jeopardy.
until gaining national at- will not count toward the The deadline for the 32
tention when the Timbers Cascadia Cup because World Cup teams to an- In this April 26, 2015, file photo, Seattle Sounders’ Clint Dempsey,
left, celebrates after he scored a goal against Portland Timbers
joined the Sounders in Ma- this year the MLS schedule nounce preliminary rosters goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey, second from right, as Timbers’
jor League Soccer in 2011. between the teams is un- is Monday. The teams must Alvas Powell, right, stands in the goal during the second half of
Since both have played at balanced, so one of the be whittled to 23 players by an MLS soccer match in Seattle.
the sport’s top level in the games between the Tim- June. 4. Associated Press
United States, Seattle has a bers and the Sounders had WHERE PORTLAND’S AT: The now it is on to the next rival a little closer to home, a
9-5-6 advantage in league to be thrown out. Timbers got off to a rocky and that is a big one for us, little less travel time.”q
games. When MLS granted TRASH TALKING: The Tim- start this season under new
franchises to Portland and bers mockumentary about coach Giovanni Savarese.
Vancouver, the league the rivalry, which poked They were winless in their Bennett wins 7th stage as Yates
hoped to build on the re- fun at everything from Se- first five matches, which maintains Giro d’Italia lead
gional rivalry already in attle’s traffic to Sounders were all played on the
place in the Pacific North- star Clint Dempsey’s rap road because of the on-
west. video, found a fan in docu- going expansion project
The trio already played for mentarian Ken Burns, who at Providence Park. But
the Cascadia Cup, a three- tweeted about the project. Portland has since won
way competition based on “There are different levels three straight, including last
points that was created of “made my day” ... hav- weekend’s 1-0 victory at
by supporters of the teams ing Ken Burns himself actu- San Jose. “I think the unity
in 2004, when they were ally view this project rates has been much better. Ev-
all part of the USL. But the among the highest,” Tim- erybody’s covering each
rivalry between Portland bers owner Merritt Paulson other, everybody is working
and Seattle has been par- responded on Twitter. for each other,” Savarese
ticularly heated, and it’s GUZMAN RETURNS?: Port- said. “They sacrifice de-
proven to be a success for land midfielder David Guz- fensively, and they believe
MLS. Ticket demand and man could return from offensively, so I think that’s
TV ratings are much great- a knee injury on Sunday the key factor so far.” Ireland’s Sam Bennett shouts in celebration as he crosses the
er for the matches. ESPN2 against the Sounders. The WHERE SEATTLE’S AT: The finish line to win the seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling
reported that viewership 28-year-old Costa Rican Sounders were struggling race, from Pizzo to Praia a Mare, Italy, Friday, May 11, 2018.
jumped 26 percent for a sprained his knee during in- with just one victory in seven Associated Press
Timbers-Sounders match ternational duty at the end games to start the season, PRAIA A MARE, Italy (AP) — and claim his first win in
last year. of March, and the national falling into last place in the — Sam Bennett timed his a Grand Tour. Niccolo Boni-
“Soccer is driven by intense team has been careful Western Conference. But sprint to perfection to win fazio was third in the bunch
rivalries, and the Sounders- about his return because they got a big boost with a the seventh stage of the sprint at the end of the
Timbers rivalry is among the he’ll likely figure into the 2-1 victory against Toronto Giro d’Italia, while British rid- flat 159-kilometer (99-mile)
best in all of professional team’s World Cup plans. — their MLS Cup rivals — on er Simon Yates remained in route along the Calabrian
sports,” MLS Commission- SPEAKING OF THE WORLD the road Wednesday night. the overall lead as the race coast from Pizzo to Praia
er Don Garber said. “Two CUP: In addition to a pos- “It’s massive,” coach Brian went over to the Italian a Mare. “I’m really happy
great clubs, two stadiums sible appearance by Guz- Schmetzer said. mainland on Friday. Ben- with that,” said Bennett,
packed with passionate man, Portland’s side in- “Toronto has been a good nett was the last to launch who finished third in each
fans — the rivalry between cludes Andy Polo, who rival. I enjoy my chess his sprint but the Irish rider of Viviani’s wins. “I tried so
Seattle and Portland has could make Peru’s roster matches with Greg (Van- managed to edge out Elia hard the other days to get
been an important driver in for soccer’s premier tourna- ney). I think he has done a Viviani — who won two of the win but never seemed
the success of our league ment. Seattle has three po- great job with this club but the opening three stages to get the timing right. q