SEATTLE - Obafemi Martins scored his 10th goal of the season in the opening minutes, Brad Evans converted a disputed penalty kick just before halftime and the Seattle Sounders beat the Portland Timbers 2-1 on Sunday.
Seattle (12-13-2) picked up its second victory of the season over its Cascadia rival, but more importantly got a needed three points in the Western Conference playoff race before a crowd of 64,358, the fourth largest crowd for an MLS game in Sounders' history. Seattle started the day in seventh place and outside of the playoff picture, but pulled into a tie with San Jose for sixth with the victory.
Martins beat goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey in the sixth minute to give Seattle the early advantage, then earned the Sounders a penalty kick in the 42nd minute when he was taken down in the box by Kwarasey. Brad Evans converted the penalty kick for his first goal of the season.
Seattle won for just the third time in its last 10 MLS matches. Jack Jewsbury scored off a corner kick early in the second half for Portland but the Timbers could not find an equalizer. Portland (11-9-7) had been unbeaten in its last four MLS matches.
Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei was the main reason Portland found the back of the net just once. Three times in the first half Frei made critical saves, including stopping Lucas Melano's one-on-one breakaway in the 30th minute. Jewsbury twice missed with headers, once wide of the net and once saved by Frei. Diego Valeri's drive from just inside the penalty area was punched over the crossbar by Frei.
Martins gave Seattle the early advantage by outworking Portland's defense in the Timbers' own penalty area. Nat Borchers lost control of a pass and Alvas Powell had a chance to clear the ball from danger, but Martins forced the turnover and beat Kwarasey with a left-footed shot into the open net.
Martins also drew the penalty against Kwarasey with a well-timed run through the back of Portland's defense. Martins collected a perfect long pass from Tyrone Mears and got a foot on the pass just inside the penalty area. Kwarasey came off his line and took down Martins without getting the ball and was called for the penalty by referee Alan Kelly.
Jewsbury pulled one back for the Timbers in the 58th minute when he was left unmarked on a corner kick, cart-wheeling in celebration after his third goal of the season.
