Seattle Sounders 4-4 Portland Timbers
Clint Dempsey scored twice in the final five minutes to complete his first-career MLS hat trick as Seattle Sounders FC (2-2-1, 7 points) tied the Portland Timbers (0-2-3, 3 points), 4-4, on Saturday afternoon at Providence Park.
After taking the early lead on a goal from Kenny Cooper, Seattle twice fell behind and came back to level the match both times, including Dempsey’s 87th minute equalizer. The eight goals scored by the two teams tied the club record for most goals in a game, and Dempsey’s hat trick marked the fifth in Sounders FC history.
Seattle opened the scoring in the third minute when an unmarked Jalil Anibaba headed Gonzalo Pineda’s corner kick to the far post, where Cooper finished from close-range for his second goal in the past two games.
In the ninth minute, Portland equalized when Diego Chara converted a curling strike from just outside the box.
The Timbers took a 2-1 lead in the 14th minute when Diego Valeri collected the ball in the box, turned his defender and knocked it inside the far post with a left-footed shot.
Dempsey brought Seattle level in the 24th minute when Osvaldo Alonso won a header and knocked it to Obafemi Martins, who found Dempsey just inside the box. Dempsey slotted his shot inside the right corner of the goal to tie the match at 2-2.
Chara scored his second goal of the match in the 56th minute with a hard strike to the top left corner of the net, putting the Timbers ahead, 3-2.
The Timbers extended the lead to 4-2 with a curling right-footed shot from Maximiliano Urruti in the 57th minute. Dempsey added his second goal of the match with a sliding right-footed shot from the center of the box in the 85th minute, bringing the score to 4-3.
Dempsey netted his third goal of the match on a penalty kick in the 87th minute. Following a foul drawn by DeAndre Yedlin in the box, Dempsey stepped up and scored the final equalizer, ending the match at 4-4.
Dempsey is currently tied for the MLS lead with four goals and has scored a goal (5) or assist (1) in his past four MLS regular-season matches.
Martins leads MLS with four assists and has scored one goal with four assists in his past four matches.
Three players in today’s game have now played on both sides of the rivalry. Portland’s Andrew Weber and Steve Zakuani, and Seattle’s Cooper.
Sounders FC visits FC Dallas next Saturday, April 12th. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. PT at Toyota Stadium.
Scoring Summary:
SEA – Kenny Cooper (Jalil Anibaba, Gonzalo Pineda) 3′
POR – Diego Chara 9′
POR – Diego Valeri (Michael Harrington) 14′
SEA – Clint Dempsey (Obafemi Martins, Osvaldo Alonso) 24′
POR – Diego Chara (Kalif Alhassan) 55′
POR – Maximiliano Urruti 57′
SEA – Clint Dempsey (Obafemi Martins, Lamar Neagle) 85′
SEA – Clint Dempsey (penalty) 87′
