MLS Game Summary - Seattle at Portland
Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - Obafemi Martins scored on either side of the intermission and added an assist on Sunday as Seattle Sounders FC eased past the Portland Timbers, 4-2, in the latest edition of the Cascadia Cup at Providence Park.
Widely regarded as Major League Soccer's most heated rivalry, the match was physical from the outset and the Sounders opened the scoring through Martins in the 18th minute.
U.S. captain Clint Dempsey added the second goal in the 34th minute, Chad Barrett made it 3-0 20 minutes from time and Martins capped the rout with a spectacular individual effort in the 76th as the Sounders jumped back to the top of the West and the Supporters' Shield standings with 45 points.
Portland picked up a consolation brace by Fanendo Adi, who netted in the 73rd and 90th minutes, but is winless in three of its last four league matches and has claimed three points on home soil just three times this campaign. The Timbers remain on the outside of the playoff picture in sixth place in the West with 31 points.
The visiting side opened the scoring on 18 minutes when Brad Evans sent a low cutting ball across the face of goal from the right flank and Martins smashed it home at the far post.
Dempsey then made it 2-0 in the 34th on the counter-attack following a Timbers corner kick. Martins collected the ball deep in his own half and set sail down the right wing.
Dempsey then made a 70-yard run down the center of the field and got on the end of a perfectly-weighted pass from Martins before he rolled it home.
It was 3-0 for Seattle in the 70th minute as Barrett had a rip from the left side of the box that goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts got a hand to, but he couldn't keep it out.
Portland gave itself some hope just three minutes later as Adi got on the end of a cross from Rodney Wallace, but that hope was extinguished by Martins three minutes later in spectacular fashion.
Martins, the Nigeria international, collected the ball on the left side of the box, cut to the inside and beat four Timbers defenders before lifting it over the arm of Ricketts for his second goal of the day.
Adi completed his double in stoppage time for Portland, but it didn't matter as Seattle escaped the Rose City with all three points.