TACOMA, Wash. — The Seattle Sounders couldn’t quite overcome a pair of goals from Brian Fernández, ultimately falling 2-1 in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the Portland Timbers on Wednesday at Cheney Stadium. The Sounders were missing nine players to international duty for European Qualifiers, Copa América and the Gold Cup.
Fernández struck for the opener in the sixth minute, lashing a perfectly placed strike from outside the area past goalkeeper Bryan Meredith.
Sounders midfielder Víctor Rodríguez equalized in the 44th minute with a deflected free kick that bounced past Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark.