Portland Timbers defender Brandon Bye scored a crucial 82nd-minute goal to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory over rivals Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.
The win was particularly significant, handing Seattle their sixth consecutive loss and setting a new club record for the Sounders in terms of consecutive defeats.
The match took place at Providence Park, where the Timbers now hold an impressive 11-8-4 all-time record against Seattle in MLS competition.
Seattle’s evening got off to a difficult start when Paul Arriola was substituted off in the opening minutes after appearing to suffer a right leg injury.
His replacement, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, made an immediate impact by breaking the deadlock in the 27th minute, giving the Sounders a surprise early advantage.
Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis got a hand on the effort but was ultimately unable to prevent the ball from crossing the line and giving Seattle the lead.
The Timbers responded strongly before the interval, with Kevin Kelsy converting a well-placed cross from Kristoffer Velde to level the score and restore parity heading into halftime.
The equalizer was Kelsy’s ninth goal of the season, his team-leading tally, while Velde picked up his fifth assist of the campaign with the precise delivery.
Bye then settled the contest in the 82nd minute, blasting the ball past Sounders goalkeeper Andrew Thomas after a feed from David Da Costa, who now holds a team-leading seven assists.
The goal was Bye’s first for Portland since joining from New England, where he had last scored on September 28, 2024, and brought his contributions this season to three with one goal and two assists.
Portland’s victory extended their unbeaten run to four matches, during which they have outscored opponents 11-5, representing their longest undefeated stretch of the current season.
The result also moved the Timbers up to eighth place in the Western Conference standings, keeping their push for a stronger playoff position very much alive.
Notably, the win gave Portland their first season sweep of Seattle since the 2022 campaign, adding further satisfaction to an already memorable night for the home supporters.
