BEAVERTON, Ore. – Seattle Sounders FC are the hottest team in Major League Soccer, a status that would make most teams want to avoid the two-time defending Western Conference champions in their part of the playoff bracket. But the Portland Timbers have beaten the 2016 MLS champions twice this season, and in a third game, as the home team, outshot the Sounders, 22-6, in a 1-0 loss.
That contrast – between Portland’s performances against Seattle and the Sounders’ burgeoning results – makes predicting the teams’ Sunday Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Semifinal first leg especially difficult (2:30pm PT, ESPN | Match presented by Carls Jr.