Portland Timbers

Breakdown

The Timbers have had the Sounders number over the past several years, except when it comes to the playoffs. In the last 11 non-playoff matchups, the Timbers have 8 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw against the Sounders. The Timbers have found less success in the playoffs against them however, dropping 3 of 4 in the past two years, and being eliminated by the Sounders both times.

In the past few years, the Timbers had relied on a pretty simple strategy in their attack, with their wide midfielders looking to get to the corner and cross the ball into the box, usually looking for their target forward (Alan Gordon or Dan Antoniuk), or for the foot of Byron Alvarez. With a precise-passing Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar on the right, and swift-footed Aaran Lines or Jake Sagare (now with the Sounders) on the left, the Timbers had traditionally been one of the highest scoring teams in the league, but it was also a one dimensional strategy many Timbers fans referred to as "Bobby ball", and against a talented defense, it could be shut down completely.

Bobby Howe has left the picture and new Timbers coach Chris Agnello has brought in several very quick midfielders which have turned the Timbers attack into a very dynamic, quick-strike offense. The fact that eight different players have scored the nine Timbers goals so far in the 2006 season (with Byron Alvarez the only player to tally twice) is evidence that this offense can strike from anywhere. New signings Luke Kreamalmeyer, Alejandro Gutierrez, Oral Bullen, and Mubarike "Mamba" Chisoni have shown themselves to be among the faster players in the league, and with Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar moving at times to a central midfield position, or even showing up on the left side, opposing defenses will have to learn to adjust as these positions can often change during a match. Newcomer Drew McAthy has yet to put the ball into the net as he splits his time at forward with Chisoni and Alvarez.

On the defensive side, the Timbers still have Josh Saunders in goal, returning for his fourth season in Portland, and defender Scot Thompson still anchoring the defense, though he has found himself playing the outside right position more this year. Newcomers Michael Nsien and Jacobi Goodfellow now anchor the inside, with newcomer Mike Randolph at outside left, and Randolph has been perhaps the most impressive of the new Timbers, making attacking down the offensive right a very difficult challenge as he has showed uncanny ability to pick an attacker clean. Randolph is a rookie from Yavapai College and at age 20 should be a strong contender for Rookie of the Year, and is no doubt already getting attention from Major League Soccer. Defender Lee Morrison has also returned for another season, but has seen himself moved into more of a defensive midfield position, where he has played very solidly in his young season.

Current form

After a loss, a draw, and a win in their first three matches, the Timbers travelled to Miami and Puerto Rico, where team captain and defensive leader Scot Thompson was injured with a gash to his head during the first minute of the first match in Miami, and the Timbers defense never recovered, losing 3-2 to Miami while giving up two goals to Brazilian star Romario, including the game winner, before dropping a 3-1 result in Puerto Rico two days later. The Timbers have been playing better in their last three, with a tight 1-0 loss to league leading Rochester, then a 2-1 win over Toronto, then a 1-0 road win at Minnesota. But the two teams the Timbers have beaten thus far (Minnesota twice and Toronto) are a combined 1-10-1 on the season, the only victory being Minnesota's 4-0 win over the Sounders on opening day. The Timbers are 3-4-1 through eight matches, with 10 points on the season.

Seattle Sounders

Breakdown

The Seattle Sounders are the defending USL First Division champions, but suffered a major setback before the season even started when two key players moved on, when goalkeeper Preston Burpo and midfielder Brent Whitfield both went to Chivas USA of MLS. Then, in a moment that had to be ironic and painful (literally) for the Sounders, forward Maykel Galindo, who scored the game-tying goal in the 2005 final against Richmind, was injured when he was hit in the face by the knee of Preston Burpo during an exhibition game vs. Chivas USA on May 7. Galindo suffered a broken nose as well as fractures found in his orbital bone surrounding his left eye and will likely miss most if not all of the regular season at least.

The Sounders offense in 2006 has centered around one player who could also snag the Rookie of the Year honor if he keeps up his current pace. Cam Weaver has four of the Sounders seven goals so far, assisted on another, and drew the penalty against Vancouver that resulted in the game winning spot-kick by former Timber Andrew Gregor. Weaver has been joined up front for most matches by Jamal Sutton, who came over from the Columbus Crew in the offseason, with Roger Levesque also playing up front at times, but playing mostly in midfield so far this season. Danny Jackson and Zach Scott still anchor the defense, but injuries had forced former Timbers midfielder Ben Somoza to drop to a defensive position, where he was playing well, but a bad ankle sprain suffered against the Whitecaps will have him sitting for three to six weeks. The Sounders have platooned Chris Eylander (a rookie from the University of Washington) and David Mahoney (from the Chicago Fire) at goalkeeper, with Eylander having the better statistics so far, especially after Mahoney was shelled for four goals in an opening day 4-0 loss at Minnesota.

Current form

After a 4-0 pounding in Minnesota in the season opener, the Sounders drew with the Thunder at home, then had a heartbreaking 2-1 loss against Rochester on a stoppage time goal by the Rhinos. But the Sounders seem to have found their form as of late, taking four points from a home-and-home series with Vancouver, and now are 2-2-2 on the season with eight points.

Series history