Thanks for joining us here at VAVEL USA for our LIVE coverage of this afternoon's match. So long for now!
Disappointment for Portland, as they still sit two points out of fifth place. This result today also means they will not win the Cascadia Cup, as Seattle now lead on eight points, with Vancouver one point behind and Portland seven back.
Terrific performance from the Seattle Sounders, and Obafemi Martins in particular. Seattle are now back in first place in the race for the Supporters' Shield.
90+3' Seattle just knocking the ball around now, and there is the whistle. Fulltime.
90+2' Seattle come forward and Barrett fires well over the bar. Nearly done now.
90+1' Goal Portland Timbers (Fanendo Adi) Zakuani with a great run through the middle before laying it off to the striker who hits a great one-timer into the roof of the net. It will make little difference though.
90' Barrett now off the pitch after sustaining a knock. Three additional minutes here.
89' Martins has been simply magisterial. He has certainly written the headlines today, with his two goals and assist. Fantastic performance from the Nigerian.
88' Portland gamely coming forward in search of a consolation goal, but there's nothing doing for them in attack.
87' Zakuani is on but his shot from a very tight angle whistles just wide. Good work from the midfielder.
86' Valeri and Zakuani combine very well down the left wing, but the eventual cross is cut out quite easily.
85' Neagle creates space for himself at the top of the 18, but it's straight into Ricketts' midsection. Easily held.
84' Seattle corner coming. It's played short, and Alonso sends it into the mixer but it's easily cleared.
83' Portland with a corner. Valeri takes and it's cleared easily by Marshall.
82' Neagle was in on the keeper and was pulled down. Looked a stone wall penalty, and probably would be if they weren't already leading 4-1.
81' Substitution Portland Timbers (Steve Zakuani ON Darlington Nagbe OFF)
80' Substitution Seattle Sounders (Andy Rose ON Clint Dempsey OFF)
79' Adi goes up with Frei for a cross, but the goalkeeper claims the ball very well. Just when it seemed a Portland fightback was on, they conceded again. This game seems all but over now.
78' Substitution Seattle Sounders (Lamar Neagle ON Brad Evans OFF)
77' Is this game over now? It seems so.
76' Goal Seattle Sounders (Obafemi Martins) Martins with an incredible solo effort as he beats four defenders off the dribble before chipping coolly over Ricketts.
75' Timbers throwing everything forward now. A corner comes to nothing, but they keep the pressure on. My apologies for not bringing news of Fanendo Adi coming onto the pitch for Max Urruti, it happened right before the goal.
73' Goal Portland Timbers (Fanendo Adi) Having just entered the fray, Rodney Wallace serves in a great ball and finds Adi who finishes coolly.
72' Sounders fans really letting the Timbers Army hear it. The call right now, "It's all gone quiet over there!"
71' Portland in search of an instant response, but they can't find anything. Need some height in the box. Fenando Adi to come on soon?
69' Goal Seattle Sounders (Chad Barrett). Great move from Seattle sees Barrett given all sorts of time and space in the box as he is given time to pick his spot. Horrible defending.
68' Valeri is in behind again but once again is flagged for offside. Must be the third time today just for him.
67' Substitution Portland Timbers (Rodney Wallace ON Gaston Fernandez OFF)
66' Nagbe sends in a cross which is cleared but Portland are coming right back at them. Turning the screw here. Yedlin with a great challenge on Nagbe, who wants a penalty but gets nothing.
65' Barrett gets his first touch after a 60 yard lofted ball from Martins. He has been simply superb today.
64' Yellow Card Max Urruti (Portland Timbers)
63' Substitution Seattle Sounders (Chad Barrett ON Marco Pappa OFF)
62' Johnson takes a corner which misses everyone and is cleared by Evans.
61' Yellow Card Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders)
60' Dempsey with a terrific run down the right channel, but is eventually crowded out before a cross can be put in.
59' Portland playing with lots of urgency now. They need a goal soon if they've still got hopes of getting anything from this game.
58' Seattle with a little period of pressure. Martins selfishly shoots and has his shot blocked instead of slipping in Evans who was in acres of space on the edge of the box.
57' Pappa hacked down 35 yards from goal, freekick coming. It's floated to Ricketts. Very, very poor delivery.
56' Nagbe with an American football tackle on Yedlin as the young defender wins the ball back.
55' Pineda blocks out Johnson in the box but the referee remains unmoved. Looked a poor challenge.
54' Yellow Card Zach Scott (Seattle Sounders)
53' Johnson leads a break and his shot is very well saved! O'Rourke should score from the rebound but he blast it over the bar.
52' Portland looking very good in this second half.
51' Martins clears the ensuing freekick. No attacks for Seattle yet in the second half.
50' Valeri takes, and his shot clips the top of the wall. Urruti and Scott battle for the rebound, before the defender hacks down the midfielder.
49' Portland looking very comfortable on the ball right ball, really looking to score. Valeri hacked down on the edge of the penalty area. Freekick coming.
48' Urruti nearly connects with a great cross from Valeri but he was offsides anyway.
47' Valeri takes the freekick, and Yedlin clears. He is forced to clear a second cross, and Portland are trying to start the second half on the front foot.
46' Yellow Card Chad Marshall.
Lalas is also reporting that Jermaine Jones has signed with the New England Revolution.
Alexi Lalas of ESPN reporting that there is a $2 million offer from Brentford FC in the English Football League Championship for Sporting KC striker Dom Dwyer.
We'll be back with you as soon as the halftime break is over!
45+2' Timbers unable to do anything else, and we have halftime.
45+1' Dempsey in again on Ricketts, but his shot is beaten away. Good goalkeeping.
45' Johnson fouls Pineda. Certainly looked the other way around. And it looks like the referee has now missed two clear handballs in the box from Seattle. Two more minutes coming.
44' Urruti turns, and it's taken off him by Marshall at the penalty spot. Massive handball shout. I want to see a replay of that...
43' Fernandez with a cross to the near post, and it's hit the post! Nearly a goal!
42' Martins taken down by Paparatto. He needs to be careful, already on a yellow. Poor defending from Ridgewell. Caleb Porter needs to change something defensively at the break.
41' Nothing comes from the corner. Fernandez with some good work on the edge of the box, but nothing comes from it.
40' Portland now just looking to get back into the game before halftime. Another corner coming...
39' Marshall still down receiving treatment. Now looking ok.
38' Yellow Card Paparatto (Portland Timbers). Really bad elbow to the head of Chad Marshall who's now down injured. Given his history with concussions, this is worrying.
37' Nagbe with a great run and he plays in Fernandez whose deflected shot loops just wide. Ensuing corner is easily cleared.
36' Great counter attacking goal from Seattle. They are once again the ones making all of the noise.
34' GOAL SEATTLE SOUNDERS 2-0 (Clint Dempsey) Arrington with some good work on the byline wins a corner. Valeri takes, and it's cleared by Pappa and the break is on! Martins running at the defense and he's played Dempsey in and he's got a 1-on-1... GOAL!
33' Valeri is in on goal but before he can shoot Scott is there with a sensational block! The travelling support acknowledge that by signing his name now. Portland really piling on the pressure now.
32' Pappa with a very good run down the left flank comes to nothing.
31' Paparatto's header is deflected just wide! Nearly a goal. They try it again but this time the header is well over the bar.
30' Fernandez sends a ball in which is cleared by Scott. Valeri with a deflected effort after a flowing move that goes just over the bar. Corner coming...
29' Pappa with a stupid foul on Chara. Portland on top now...
28' Nagbe with space to move into... and his ferocious drive swerves but is easily held by Frei. Timbers Army reinvigorated by the run.
27' Pappa takes the corner and it's caught by Ricketts. Given right back. Dempsey with a shot easily blocked. Fernandez looking sensationally poor.
26' Sounders are flowing at the moment. They'll be disappointed if they don't get a second. Yedlin strides forward and no one challenges him. Martins' shot is blocked. Portland at sixes-and-sevens defensively.
25' Fernandez strides forward but his tame shot is held by Frei.
24' Yellow Card Portland Ridgewell for dissent
23' Valeri takes a corner, and it's easily cleared by Marshall. Yedlin leads a counter but Pappa's eventual shot is blocked.
22' Dempsey looks fantastic today. Portland look shell-shocked
21' Timbers Army have fallen deathly silent and the travelling support are making all of the noise now.
20' Dempsey fires just over! He makes a great run through the middle and he should be doing better with that. Portland getting ripped to shreds right now.
19' Really poor defending from Portland for that goal. Martins left completely alone in the box for the tap-in
18' GOAL SEATTLE SOUNDERS 1-0!!! (Obafemi Martins 18') Evans with a fantastic run down the right byline. Went at least 40 yards and drags a ball across the six yard box for Martins who will not score an easier goal.
17' Neither side sitting back, both pushing numbers forward at every possible opportunity.
16' Portland looking marginally the better side side so far. Pineda levelled by O'Rourke. Advantage played. He and Valeri crowd out Dempsey in the box who goes down far too easily.
15' Both teams have now hit the woodwork. Nearly 1-1, still just 0-0. Martins looking very strong when going forward.
14' Dempsey turns and shoots and it's off the post! Ricketts clearly beaten, and it appeared to take a deflection. Nearly the opener. Corner coming and the header is well over the bar. Goal kick coming.
13' Valeri in behind and in a position to put a good ball in but he's flagged offside.
12' Valeri in the midst of every passing move for the Timbers. He looks in very good form.
11' Valeri takes and it deflects off the wall and onto the bar! Frei was beaten. So close to the opener!
10' Looks like Urruti was right. Clear handball from Clint Dempsey in the scrum on that corner. Lucky boy. Nagbe is dragged down by Alonso just outside of the Seattle box. Valeri to take...
9' Urruti's header takes a deflection and he's claiming hand ball. Nothing given. Ball goes out of bounds for goal kick.
8' Nagbe with a shot inside that box that takes a deflection and goes just wide. Corner coming...
7' Martins with great strength in a run. Cross in cut out by Ridgewell asn the rebound falls to Alonso but it's caught under his feet.
6' Portland settling into some nice passing play. Good defensive work from Brad Evans
5' Floated back post for Marshall whose header is held by Ricketts.
4' Yedlin slow to get up after that challenge. Freekick from 40 yards out coming for Seattle...
3' Sounders with some early possession. Bad challenge from Will Johnson on Deandre Yedlin. Lucky not to get a yellow card.
2' A couple of early challenges leave no one in doubt of how tough this game will be. And Chara is down momentarily after a ball straight to the face. Great volume from the crowd today.
1' Kickoff And we're off!
5:08 PM ET: Great tifo from the Timbers Army declaring there's "no place like home"
5:07 PM ET: This game is being broadcast live also in the UK on BT Sport. Just another sign of how big the MLS footprint has become.
5:04 PM ET: Handshakes at midfield. One last commercial break, kickoff just around the corner!
5:03 PM ET: "PT-FC" chant ringing around the stadium, and the Sounders supporters' are being almost completely drowned out. Great atmosphere here!
5:02 PM ET: Timbers Army in great voice today, Providence Park is rocking and the Timbers are in the tunnel!
5:00 PM ET: Television coverage has just started. And we are now just MOMENTS away from the start of this match!
4:57 PM ET: Let's remind ourselves just why this game is so important. With a win Portland would move into a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and they need a win to stay alive for the Cascadia Cup. Meanwhile, Seattle will go top of the Western Conference and the league with a victory today.
4:55 PM ET: Now moving in on FIVE minutes until television coverage starts!
4:49 PM ET: Very nice tweet from Sounders Matchday account giving Steve Zakuani massive respect. Classy move for a classy player.
4:46 PM ET: Keep following our LIVE coverage HERE at VAVEL USA!
4:45 PM ET: For those of who may be wondering about the television broadcast schedule for this game, coverage starts in just 15 minutes on ESPN2. Due to the vagaries of TV scheduling, kickoff may be a bit after that. We are certainly less than half an hour from kickoff!
4:44 PM ET: Sounders Matchday Twitter account has been hilarious in the run-up to this match. Clear just how excited both sets of fans are for this match.
4:41 PM ET: Seattle Sounders Starting XI: Frei, Yedlin, Scott, Marshall, Gonzalez, Evans (c), Alonso, Pineda, Pappa, Martins, Dempsey Subs: Hahnemann, Rose, Cooper, Barrett, Azira, Neagle, Anibaba
4:39 PM ET: Portland Timbers Starting XI: Ricketts, O'Rourke, Paparatto, Ridgewell, Harrington, Johnson (c), Fernandez, Chara, Valeri, Urruti, Nagbe Subs: Weber, Jewsbury, Kah, Zakuani, Zemanski, Wallace, Adi
4:36 PM ET: Let's just remind you all once again of today's starting XI's...
4:35 PM ET: The players are out on the pitch warming up
4:28 PM ET: New York Red Bulls will take on CD FAS on Tuesday night in CONCACAF Champions League action. The LA Galaxy will take on DC United on Wednesday night.
4:25 PM ET: We've already told you about the final MLS game of the weekend coming up later tonight, but let's look at the upcoming action for the week ahead...
4:21 PM ET: Timbers Army end of Providence Park is full and they are ready for this one!
4:18 PM ET: While we wait for this game to get underway, I will take a moment to update you on the transfer saga that still has MLS intrigued. United States Men's National Team midfielder has had a move to MLS rumored all summer, but it has yet to materialize. The rumor is that he has signed with MLS and will soon choose either New England or Chicago. We will bring you the latest at we know it HERE at VAVEL USA!
4:15 PM ET: We're now under an hour away from kickoff...
4:10 PM ET: With today's start, Portland defender Danny O'Rourke will make his 200th MLS start
4:08 PM ET: Seattle Sounders subs: Hahnemann, Rose, Cooper, Barrett, Azira, Neagle, Anibaba
4:07 PM ET: Portland Timbers subs: Weber, Jewsbury, Kah, Zakuani, Zemanski, Wallace, Adi
4:04 PM ET: Seattle Sounders starting XI: Frei, Yedlin, Scott, Marshall, Gonzalez, Evans (c), Alonso, Pineda, Pappa, Martins, Dempsey
4:03 PM ET: Portland Timbers starting XI: Ricketts, O'Rourke, Paparatto, Ridgewell, Harrington, Johnson (c), Fernandez, Chara, Valeri, Urruti, Nagbe
4:02 PM ET: Here come the starting XI's...
3:58 PM ET: For more information on the upcoming match, here's a couple of great preview pieces: https://www.vavel.com/en-us/soccer/383449-mls-questions-and-answers-portland-timbers-vs-seattle-sounders-fc.html and here's another one: https://www.vavel.com/en-us/soccer/379469-portland-timbers-vs-seattle-sounders-8-24-match-preview.html
3:56 PM ET: We can confirm for you that the travelling supporters have arrived and entered Providence Park and are already in fine voice.
3:54 PM ET: For those of you who want to know more about the race for the Cascadia Cup, I will direct you to a great VAVEL USA piece right here: https://www.vavel.com/en-us/soccer/382967-timbers-vs-sounders-meet-for-the-sixth-cascadia-matchup.html
3:51 PM ET: As you can see from these standings, a win today not only gets Portland right back in the race for the Cascadia Cup but would move them up to fifth place and into a playoff spot.
3:49 PM ET: 9th Place Chivas USA 24 points
3:48 PM ET: 8th Place San Jose Earthquakes 25 points
3:47 PM ET: 7th Place Colorado Rapids 30 points
3:46 PM ET: 6th Place Portland Timbers 31 points
3:45 PM ET: 5th Place Vancouver Whitecaps 33 points
3:44 PM ET: 4th Place LA Galaxy 40 points
3:43 PM ET: 3rd Place Real Salt Lake 42 points
3:42 PM ET: 2nd Place FC Dallas 42 points
3:41 PM ET: 1st Place Seattle Sounders 42 points (superior goal differential)
3:40 pm ET: Next up, the Western Conference...
3:39 PM ET: 10th Place Montreal Impact 17 points
3:38 PM ET: 9th Place Houston Dynamo 25 points
3:38 PM ET: 8th Place Chicago Fire 26 points
3:37 PM ET: 7th Place Philadelphia Union 27 points
3:36 PM ET: 6th Place New England Revolution 30 points
3:35 PM ET: 5th Place New York Red Bulls 31 points
3:34 PM ET: 4th Place Columbus Crew 33 points
3:33 PM ET: 3rd Place Toronto FC 33 points
3:32 PM ET: 2nd Place Sporting KC 42 points
3:31 PM ET: Eastern Conference 1st Place DC United 43 points
3:29 PM ET: Let's take a look at what the full MLS standings are at this point in time...
3:24 PM ET: Fans continue to get ready for the game, expect a fantastic atmosphere for today's match.
3:21 PM ET: Among the many storylines in today's game, we have both Steve Zakuani and Kenny Cooper could play against their former teams.
3:16 PM ET: We're now less than two hours away from kickoff
3:12 PM ET: The Timbers Army have then responded in turn with such tifo's as "It Takes an Army to Raise a Club". I.e., the Timbers Army have raised their club.
3:09 PM ET: The Emerald City Supporters responded with such tifo's as "Decades of Dominance" and "Build a Bonfire" as if they were planning to burn down a forest so there would be no timbers.
3:06 PM ET: The two supporters' groups tend to try and one-up each other with their tifo's. In 2011, before the first time these two sides met in MLS action in Portland, the Timbers Army unfurled a magnificent tifo declaring the Portland Timbers the "King of Clubs".
3:01 PM ET: A rare moment of violence among fans broke out during a preseason match in 2010 when three scarf-wearing Sounders fans attacked a Timbers fan. It should be noted the Seattle supporters were not affiliated with any supporters' group.
2:58 PM ET: Speaking of the fans of these two teams, the Emerald City Supporters and the Timbers Army have always enjoyed an acrimonious relationship. Let's look at some notable incidents...
2:54 PM ET: Seeing a photo on Twitter from a Sounders fan account of supporters waiting outside of Providence Park chanting "Let us in! Let us in!" Everyone is eager for this match.
2:51 PM ET: The Cascadia Cup tie is not the only MLS fixture today. The Philadelphia Union will take on the San Jose Earthquakes tonight at 8:00 PM ET.
2:49 PM ET: Other games yesterday included the New York Red Bulls beating the Montreal Impact 4-2, Toronto FC conceeding a late equalizer in their 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew demolishing Houston Dynamo 3-0, the New England Revolution winning a tight one 1-0 over Chivas USA, and the Los Angeles Galaxy dismantling Vancouver 2-0.
2:42 PM ET: Saturday saw six games on the docket, with the biggest game of the day the top-of-the-table clash in the Eastern Conference in Kansas City as Sporting KC took on DC United. United demolished Sporting 3-0. It will go down as one of their worst matches of the season. United are now top of the table in the East with 43 points, one point ahead of Sporting.
2:39 PM ET: On Friday, Real Salt Lake traveled to FC Dallas for an absolutely massive tie in the Western Conference. Although FC Dallas went down to ten men in the first half, the fact that they're already set up to counter attack truly helped them and they were able to win 2-1. The two teams are now tied with Seattle on 42 points at the top of the Western Conference.
2:35 PM ET: Let's take a look around MLS this weekend and see how the other seven matches have panned out...
2:33 PM ET: This is yet another absolutely massive MLS match this weekend. This weekend has seen match-ups between FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City and DC United, and Los Angeles and Vancouver.
2:30 PM ET: The next tie in the Cascadia Cup series will be on August 30th, as the Timbers host the Whitecaps, making today's match a must-win for Portland if they're to have any chance of regaining the cup.
2:25 PM ET: Let's take a look at the current standings in the race for the Cascadia Cup...
The Vancouver Whitecaps sit atop the standings on seven points from three games, the Seattle Sounders are second on five points from four games and the Portland Timbers are bottom on just one point.
2:20 PM ET: Last season, these two met in the semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs, and it saw Portland assert their superiority in the rivalry. During the regular season, they finished in first place in the Western Conference and took four points off Seattle before beating them 5-3 on aggregate in the playoffs. The Timbers recorded a 2-1 away victory at CenturyLink before winning 3-2 at home to advance to the Western Conference finals.
2:19 PM ET: The primetime occasion between these two teams on August 25th, 2013 saw 67,385 fans make their way to CenturyLink Field for a 1-0 Sounders win. As the rivalry has continued to evolve, it has seen more and more television coverage, and each encounter sees a national audience with plenty of on-air advertising from both ESPN and NBC Sports, the two carriers of MLS action.
2:18 PM ET: October 7th, 2012 saw the third largest crowd in the history of MLS (66,452) on hand for the Sounders 3-0 thrashing of the Timbers as they thwarted the Timbers' chance to claim the Cascadia Cup. Portland would later go on to claim the 2012 Cascadia Cup.
2:17 PM ET: The first MLS meeting between the two teams played out a 1-1 draw before nearly 37,000 fans in Seattle. The second meeting between them that season saw the first win for either side in MLS action as the Sounders won 3-2 in Portland.
2:16 PM ET: The Timbers Army stoked the fire of the rivalry before the 2011 MLS season started as they purchased a billboard less than a mile away from Qwest Field, an earlier name of CenturyLink Field, which said Portland, Oregon Soccer City, USA.
2:15 PM ET: Once Seattle joined MLS for the 2009 season, they did not meet Portland for two years in league play before Portland moved up to MLS for the 2011 season.
2:14 PM ET: The physical Cascadia Cup was created before the 2004 season, and it has since been awarded to the team with the most points from their matchups with the other teams. The inaugural Cascadia Cup was won by Vancouver with 13 points in 2004. The Whitecaps have won it four times, the Sounders three times and the Timbers three times.
2:13 PM ET: The rivalry took an 11-year hiatus from 1990 to 2001, when in USL action the Portland Timbers took on the Seattle Sounders in front of a crowd of 12,300 at PGE Park in Portland where the Timbers won 2-0.
2:12 PM ET: Both franchises briefly terminated just before the end of the old NASL, with Portland closing their doors at the end of the 1982 season and Seattle doing the same just a year later. The Sounders reformed in the Western Soccer Alliance in 1984 as the Seattle Storm and were referred to as F.C. Seattle. Portland were granted a WSA team before the 1985 season and the rivalry was able to recommence.
2:11 PM ET: To date, the largest margin of victory by either side while in the top tier of American association football was a 5-1 Seattle win in 1979 played at the old Kingdome in Seattle. Seattle's Derek Smethurst stole the show that day as he netted a hat trick.
2:10 PM ET: The rivalry is considered one of few genuine derbies in American association football. The Cascadia triumvirate between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver is one along with the LA-San Jose California Clásico game and the New York Red Bulls-DC United Atlantic Cup game.
2:09 PM ET: This is one of the oldest rivalries in the league. The first edition of this game was played on May 2nd, 1975 as Seattle beat Portland 1-0 back in the days of the old North American Soccer League (NASL). The rivalry has been played across various leagues and competitions through the years. They have squared off in NASL, USL First Division, A-League, MLS, and Lamar Hunt US Open Cup play with Seattle holding a 45-32-10 edge.
2:08 PM ET: Let's next take a look at some of the history behind this great rivalry...
2:07 PM ET: Their second meeting of the season saw Seattle win 2-0 at CenturyLink Field. The first half was a tense affair, but when Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid subbed on striker Obafemi Martins at halftime, the game changed. The Sounders' attacking quarter of Martins, Dempsey, Lamar Neagle and Marco Pappa ripped the Portland defense to shreds on the break and through goals from Dempsey and Pappa. Seattle was able to get the 2-0 win.
2:06 PM ET: This will be the third meeting of the year between the two Cascadia rivals. The year's first encounter will go down as one of the all-time great games as they tied 4-4. Portland went ahead early, and led 4-2 late on before Seattle striker Clint Dempsey scored two more goals to round off a hat trick, and earn Seattle a point. In this writer's opinion, it was the best game of the season in MLS.
2:05 PM ET: Portland comes into this game in far better fettle. They've accumulated ten points from their last five games, with wins over the Colorado Rapids, Montreal Impact, and Chivas USA. They've also drawn with the New England Revolution and lost to the LA Galaxy.
2:04 PM ET: Seattle, for so long the hottest team in MLS have suffered yet another midseason dip in form. Looking at the general barometer of a team's form, how they've fared in their last five games, shows that Seattle are really struggling. They have only four points from their last five, with some really poor losses to the Los Angeles Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, and Real Salt Lake with the only bright spot a win over Houston Dynamo and a draw with San Jose Earthquakes thrown in.
2:03 PM ET: Let's next take a look at how the two teams have fared over their last several games. First up, Seattle...
2:02 PM ET: Meanwhile, their southern neighbors sit in sixth place on 31 points, just two points out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
2:01 PM ET: Heading into this one, the Sounders sit in a three way tie at the top of the Western Conference with Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas all on 42 points.
2:00 PM ET: Hello and welcome to VAVEL USA'S LIVE coverage of this afternoon's match between the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders from Providence Park in Portland, Oregon.