When the Sounders play Portland, it matters. Even in a match without Major League Soccer implications, such as the one that will be played Tuesday, the rivalry carries weight.
“There is a real rivalry there that goes deeper than just the league creating something,” Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei said. “When it’s real, you can’t just turn it off. It exists. It’s there. And that’s a good thing.”
Frei said he notices it even when the teams play in the preseason, and he expects the Sounders to feel it when they face the Timbers in the fourth round of the U.