Earlier this week, there was one thing that Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese emphasized above all else: After spending most of last week on the road, dealing with the Oregon wildfires, and not being able to practice outdoors, Savarese and company were happy to be back home. But the most important thing, Savarese noted, was that the Timbers had to make Providence Park a fortress again.
They started that process on Wednesday, earning a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders. It was the first time the home team had won in the rivalry in six straight matches, and it propelled Portland to a tie for first place in the Western Conference.