A Packed Stadium, An Old Rivalry, A New Beginning, Sappy Headlines

It is difficult to imagine a better way of renewing a rivalry that dates back more than thirty years. More than 16,000 people will be jammed into PGE Park (imagine if this was being played in front of 2,000 at Starfire!) this evening to watch the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders go at it in the US Open Cup. A few years ago when the announcement was made that Seattle would leave for MLS, many of us assumed that the only chance we would have to see the Pacific Northwest rivals battle one another again would be in meaningless exhibitions. This is not a meaningless exhibition. Nor will it be the last non-meaningless game we see between the two clubs. With Portland joining Seattle in MLS in 2011 (something even more difficult to have imagined a couple of years ago), the rivalry will live on. Tonight is a preview of what is to come. Show up early. Expect a physical, ugly game. And savor this moment. It might not be back for a couple of years.

Match Previews

• Timbers-Sounders game provides proving ground for some Portland players (The Oregonian)
• Timbers renew rivalry that has some legs (The Columbian)
• Smoldering soccer rivalry gets new fire (The Olympian)
• Sounders still all the rave (green) (Seattle P-I)
• Former Portland soccer star Keller returns as rival (KGW)
• Portland vs. Seattle soccer rivalry more friendly back in NASL days (Seattle Times)
• Portland Timbers fans take rivalry with Sounders FC to another level (Seattle Times)
• Seattle-Portland rivalry remains intense (MLSnet)

Photo: Allison Andrews/Soccer City USA

Category: Timbers Team News

Tags: Timbers Team News

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