Portland Timbers delivered a commanding statement in their first match back after the FIFA World Cup break, thrashing the Seattle Sounders 5-1 on Thursday night.
Kevin Kelsy was the standout performer on the night, finishing with two goals and an assist as Portland ran riot at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The result marked a significant moment for the Timbers, who earned the victory in their first game under 35-year-old interim coach Jack Cassidy following Phil Neville’s departure last month.
Neville was let go after 2 1/2 seasons in charge, and Cassidy wasted no time making an impression in his debut on the sideline.
Cassidy not only claimed a debut win but also surpassed the Timbers’ previous largest margin of victory at Lumen Field, which had been a 3-0 win on July 9, 2022.
He also got the better of Brian Schmetzer, the MLS’s longest tenured coach, in the process.
Kelsy opened the scoring with a header in the 18th minute, assisted by defender Jimer Fory and Diego Chará, giving Portland a 1-0 lead they would never surrender.
The game truly opened up in the second half, with Kamal Miller, Cole Bassett, and Kelsy all finding the net in a stunning seven-minute burst to put the result beyond any doubt.
Miller grabbed his first goal of the season in the 56th minute, finishing off passes from fellow defender Brandon Bye and Ariel Lassiter to make it 2-0.
Bassett followed up four minutes later with his second goal of the campaign, assisted by David Da Coste and Kelsy, before Kelsy added Portland’s fourth with an unassisted finish in the 63rd minute.
Seattle managed to avoid a shutout when defender Hassani Dotson scored in the 87th minute from a pass by Albert Rusnák, marking Dotson’s first goal of the season.
Rookie Alexander Aravena then capped the night in fine fashion, scoring his first professional goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time to set the final margin at 5-1.
James Pantemis was solid between the sticks for Portland, recording six saves, while Andrew Thomas finished the night with five saves for the struggling Sounders.
The loss extended Seattle’s difficult run of form, handing them their third consecutive defeat and second straight at home, leaving them with a 7-4-3 record on the season.
Portland, now 5-8-2 on the year, will look to build on this result when they host FC Dallas on Wednesday, while Seattle travel to face Austin FC on the same night.
