3 July 1985 - It Stayed Close For A Few Minutes, At Least

On 3 July 1985, Seattle beat Portland 1-6, setting the largest margin of victory in the longstanding rivalry between the two clubs.

The two teams first played each other on 2 May 1975 as NASL teams in what was Portland's first game. Seattle won, 0-1. They continued to meet until 1982, when financial pressures forced the dissolution of Portland's team. Seattle followed after the 1983 NASL season, with the league itself folding in 1985.

In 1984, Seattle reformed as the Seattle Storm and joined the Western Soccer Alliance, with Portland joining a year later. That set the stage for their first post-NASL meeting in the Western Alliance Challenge Series that also included the San Jose Earthquakes and the Victoria Riptide.

Portland hosted Seattle at the Civic Stadium where a meager crowd of just under 3,000 watched as Seattle took a 2nd-minute lead with a goal from Ken Fuegman. Portland's Mark Miller quickly equalized (11'), but Seattle then pulled away, scoring five unanswered goals, starting with Brian Schmetzer's 13th-minute strike. Bruce Raney had a hat-trick, with Peter Fewing providing the remaining goal.

Since then, the rivalry has moved through the Western Soccer League, the American Professional Soccer League, the A-League, the USL, the US Open Cup, and Major League Soccer, but the 6-1 scoreline remains a record.