The new-look Portland Timbers had a few golden opportunities to score drop into their laps in their season opening match against the Seattle Sounders, but in the end, only the visitors were able to take advantage of a scoring opportunity as the Sounders used a first half goal by Kyle Smith to open the season with a 1-0 win over the Timbers in a match played in front of 5,993 at Portland's PGE Park.

Both teams started front-lines that were lacking in a lot of A-League experience, but it was Timbers rookie Daniel Antoniuk who had a good chance to make an early impression just two minutes into the match. A chip from midfield into his run had him chasing to get to the ball before charging Seattle goalkeeper Preston Burpo, but both players got to the ball at the same time and Burpo was able to punch the ball right off Antoniuk's foot. Three minutes later, Antoniuk had another good opportunity when he cut across the top of the box and took a shot from 20 yards out that never made it to the net as it hit off the shoulder of fellow Timbers rookie Jason Melendez.

Seattle had their first chance when Sean-Michael Callahan took a shot from 20 yards out that required a slight dive to the left by Portland rookie goalkeeper Curtis Spiteri to make the save.

In the 15th minute, a botched Seattle clear hit off Timbers forward Antoniuk, who chased the ball into the box, and as Seattle defender Danny Jackson slid in to stop the breakaway, he appeared to hit Burpo in the side of the face with his knee before sliding through to take out Antoniuk as well. Both Burpo and Jackson stayed on the field injured, but Burpo was the more seriously injured, as he suffered a broken jaw and fractured teeth. Burpo left the field under his own power and was transported to Good Samaritans hospital.

In the 26th minute, Seattle's Ryan Edwards had a good look at goal from 25 yards out, but his shot was over the bar by a few yards. Four minutes later, the Timbers had another good opportunity to score when Lee Morrison got up for a header off a corner kick, but his shot was a few feet wide left. In the 32nd minute, Seattle had another scoring opportunity when a through ball into the run of a Seattle striker was only cleared by Spiteri charging out of the box to boot the ball downfield. In the 34th minute, Seattle had nother good scoring chance when Edwards shot from 25 yards out required a sprawling save from Spiteri.

In the 35th minute, Seattle's Alex Bengard got around the Portland defense as he made a run down the right side, and his diagonal cross into the box bounced once as no defender could clear the ball, but a charging Kyle Smith ran onto the ball perfectly and hit a full volley into the left side of the net to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.

Portland had a golden opportunity to level the score during stoppage time in the first half. A high bouncing ball off a deflection fooled Seattle goalkeeper Rich Cullen, who let the ball bounce over his head to a wide-open Morrison, who had an open net in front of him only seven or eight yards away, but somehow managed to put the volley well over the bar, and the half ended with Seattle up 1-0.

Neither team threatened in the 2nd half until the 59th minute, when a Seattle midfielder hit a volley from 40 yards out that went barely wide left. A few minutes later, a Seattle attacker made a good run into the box, but his shot was right into Spiteri's chest for the easy save.

Portland saw the first appearance of one of their league-leading strikers for the first time in the 67th minute when Fadi Afash entered the match, and he had a good chance to score just a few minutes in, but his hard shot was right at Cullen. In the 74th minute, the Timbers were once again shooting at an empty net as Cullen failed to control the ball after a save, but 2 or 3 shots by the Timbers could not get through the crowd in the box, and eventually Cullen pounced on the ball to control it.

Seattle had dropped into a very defensive posture for the last half of the second half, and the Timbers only had one more good opportunity, in the 86th minute, when Melendez hit a hard shot that was right into the Seattle keeper's hands. But the Timbers never did break through, and Seattle holds on for the 1-0 win.

Portland and Seattle will complete the second-half of these home-and-home US Open Cup qualifying matches on May 2 when they meet in Seattle in a game to be televised on Fox Sports World.