Both the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders have six wins this season.
In mid-July, that is a frustrating number for both clubs entering their first clash of 2016, which takes place at noon on Sunday at Providence Park.
But each team carries a reason for optimism into this match.
For Portland, that is an eight-match unbeaten string — though five of those matches are draws and one of the wins was an unlikely rally against struggling Houston.
Seattle hopes to generate momentum from Wednesday’s five-goal outburst against Dallas.
Seattle will be without its most dangerous player in Clint Dempsey, who was shown his first MLS red card in Wednesday’s match against Dallas (he did receive a rather notable red card in a U.S. Open Cup match against Portland last year).
Portland, meanwhile, is hoping to get Diego Valeri back in the lineup. The playmaking midfielder has missed the last three games with a foot injury and the Timbers have not scored in the run of play in any of them.
There is an obvious sense of urgency for both clubs. The Timbers (6 wins, 6 losses, 8 draws) are in seventh place and likely need 25 points from their final 14 matches to reach the Western Conference playoffs. The Sounders (6-10-2, 20 points) have never missed the MLS Cup Playoffs in their first nine seasons, but likely need at least 30 points from their 16 remaining games to continue that streak.
Those numbers only add fuel to the most intense rivalry in Major League Soccer — one that stretches back to 1975 and the North American Soccer League.
With Portland winning the MLS Cup last season — beating Seattle to that prize — the rivalry in this moment no longer has a big brother-little brother feel to it.
The Sounders have a better regular-season record against the Timbers (7-3-4) in the MLS era, but the Timbers won the only playoff series between the rivals in 2013, and last season beat the Sounders to the ultimate MLS prize.
Until Wednesday’s five goals against a watered-down Dallas lineup, Seattle had scored only 14 goals in its first 17 matches. The loss of Obafemi Martins, who moved to China in the offseason, is one factor. Also, Dempsey has struggled for consistency and has been missed when away with the U.S. national team. The Timbers will not need to worry about Dempsey on Sunday.
Rookie Jordan Morris, who last fall was a teammate of Vancouver resident Foster Langsdorf on Stanford’s national championship team, leads the Sounders with seven goals.
Defensively, the Sounders have been steady. Seattle has allowed 21 goals in 18 matches and posted five shutouts.
