Portland Timbers lose 2-0 to Seattle Sounders

Portland Timbers' Fanendo Adi goes down at left as he challenges Seattle Sounders' Zach Scott (20) for the ball in the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Seattle.

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

The Portland Timbers' match against the Seattle Sounders Sunday night on ESPN2 drew a strong 426,000 viewers.

Even though the match didn't start until 10:30 p.m. on the East coast, it was the most viewed MLS game on ESPN2 in the past four years.

The Timbers and Sounders probably benefitted from the craze surrounding the World Cup.

Germany beat Argentina earlier in the day on Sunday to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The Timbers and Sounders faced off on ESPN2 just after ESPN's coverage of the World Cup ended.

The Timbers/Sounders match likely also gained viewership because it marked the return of U.S. men's national team players and Seattle Sounders stars Clint Dempsey and DeAndre Yedlin to MLS.

-- Jamie Goldberg | @jamiebgoldberg