Portland Timbers 2, Seattle Sounders 1 | 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs

Ian Nicholas Quillen

The first playoff series in five years between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders is delicately poised after the Timbers secured a 2-1 victory in Sunday's first leg at Providence Park.

Sebastian Blanco and Jeremy Ebobisse scored during a 12-minute stretch of the first half to give Portland the lead, reversing proceedings after Raul Ruidiaz had put visitors in front on 10 minutes.

Both sides appeared relatively content with the score during a more conservative second half, though the Timbers' Diego Valeri and Sounders' Victor Rodriguez had quality chances late.

Goals

10' - SEA - Raul Ruidiaz | WATCH
17' - POR - Jeremy Ebobisse | WATCH
29' - POR - Sebastian Blanco | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE:
Seattle's job in the return leg could be made tougher on Thursday if
Cristian Roldan
and
Chad Marshall
aren't available. Roldan injured in the 31st minute and Marshall followed in the 40th, prompting this tweet from the club before halftime:

INJURY UPDATES:

Cristian Roldan - groin injury, still being evaluated.

Chad Marshall - right knee injury, has gone back to the locker room for further evaluation.#PORvSEA | #MLSCupPlayoffs
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) November 4, 2018

Head coach Brian Schmetzer offered an update after the match

Brian Schmetzer says it's not a ligament tear for Chad Marshall: "He's a tough kid. He'll be back." Said it's a hip flexor for Roldan but "he'll be fine too."
— Ari Liljenwall (@AriLiljenwall) November 5, 2018

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Portland's go-ahead goal was a metaphor for what life has been like for the Timbers when things are going well this season: Valeri doing a lot of the hard work, and Blanco providing the sharpness to turn a medium-quality chance into a high-quality goal.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Valeri provided the inch-perfect service for Ebobisse's equalizer and the motor leading to Blanco's winner. He twice nearly added a third for Portland in the second half, with a long-range effort saved by Stefan Frei and then a difficult first-time volley just over the bar.