Montero, Ruidiaz each score twice, Sounders rout Timbers 6-2
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Raul Ruidiaz scored the go-ahead goal directly off a free kick and the Seattle Sounders went on to beat the rival Portland Timbers 6-2 in a Cascadia Cup match Sunday night.
Ruidiaz and Fredy Montero each scored twice to help the Sounders (10-3-6) move into second in the Western Conference behind Sporting Kansas City. Seattle has conceded just 16 goals this season, fewest in the league.
Jimmy Medranda and Nicolas Benezet also scored. Sebastian Blanco and George Fochive scored for Portland (7-9-2).
The game marked the return of the Cascadia Cup, the three-way competition between the Sounders, Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps. The supporter-created award, decided on points from head-to-head matchups, was suspended last season because the coronavirus prevented capacity crowds from attending matches.
ATLANTA UNITED 1, LOS ANGELES FC 0
ATLANTA (AP) - Josef MartÃnez scored his third goal in his last three appearances and Atlanta United beat Los Angeles FC 1-0.
MartÃnez, on a breakaway, ran onto a low cross Ezequiel Barco and put away a one-touch finish from the center of the area in the 47th minute. Brad Guzan had three saves for his fourth shutout of the season for Atlanta (4-6-9).
LAFC (6-8-5) has lost three in a row and is winless in six games.
FIRE 1, CREW 0
CHICAGO (AP) - Luka Stojanovic scored for the third time in the last two games and the Chicago Fire beat the Columbus Crew 1-0 on Sunday night.
Brian Gutierrez had his shot in the area deflected but it went directly to Stojanovic, who turned and scored in the 77th minute.
Chicago (5-9-5) has won back-to-back games and is unbeaten in its last four. Columbus (6-7-6) has lost four in a row.
NASHVILLE 5, D.C. UNITED 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - C.J. Sapong and Alex Muyl each scored two goals and Nashville beat D.C. United.
Hany Mukhtar also scored for Nashville (7-2-10). Frédéric Brillant and Ola Kamara scored for D.C. United (8-8-3).