Through its station is the loudest and most bitterly fought of MLS’s rivalries, every game Portland and Seattle play takes on a postseason atmosphere. There is not much conviviality here.
And yet there’s an argument to be made - a pretty ironclad one, in fact - that the two have never played a more mutually important regular season match than their final scheduled meeting in 2016. This one may not be for all the marbles, but it’ll certainly determine who has more.
Like two storm clouds colliding, Portland and Seattle face off Sunday in Portland for, essentially, the inside track on a playoff spot (2 p.