A bitter Rivalry. (SoundersfC vs Timbers)
This Thursday, SoundersFC take on the Portland Timbers in the only Pre-Season game to be held at QWEST. This game is special, not only because its only $10 per ticket with the proceeds going to charity, but because it will be the first time we host Portland in what is known as one of the most fierce rivalries in the soccer world.
The bitter rivalry goes back to the 70’s during the NASL days, and has persisted through the semi-pro leagues before the MLS caught on. Portland is joining the MLS in 2011, and they have something to prove on Thursday.
Mostly though, this game is about the fans, not so much the soccer. This will be a spectacle unlike any other game at QWEST field.
There is also a more compelling reason to go. There is a labor dispute between the players union and owners, and the league is currently operating without a contract. Things this week have gone downhill, and its possible a work stoppage will occur before the season starts. So this could be the last Sounders game for awhile. So get your fix in now!
Here are some quotes from Assistant Coach Brian Schmetzer who has been with the Sounders for years, and experienced the Rivalry first hand.
Brian Schmetzer – Assistant Coach
“Some of those reserve games were bloody affairs. Sometimes it was good soccer, but it was always hard soccer and it was kill or be killed,” Schmetzer said. “The soccer got a little better at the first team level, but there was always an underlying tone of disdain for each other.
“The Portland fans are colorful and they support their team and that is something they take pride in. Sometimes they stretch the boundaries a little bit.”
