LAFC at Portland Timbers
Saturday, April 13 at 1:45pm PT
Location: Providence Park - Portland, OR
TV: Apple TV – Free on MLS Season Pass, FOX, FOX Deportes
After a 2-1 defeat of its crosstown rival last Saturday, LAFC next takes on the Portland Timbers on Saturday, April 13, at Providence Park.
Goals from Timmy Tillman and Denis Bouanga lifted LAFC (3W-3L-1D) to victory over the Galaxy and into fifth place in the Western Conference (based on Supporters’ Shield tiebreakers), with 10 points through seven matches played.
LAFC is 7W-6L-5D against the Timbers across all competitions, and has lost just once to Portland in their last five meetings (3W-1L-1D).
Timbers in-depth
Led by head coach Phil Neville, the Timbers are looking to jump-start their 2024 season and make their first playoff appearance since reaching MLS Cup in 2021. The Timbers own a record of 2W-3L-2D in MLS play and sit in 10th place in the Western Conference.
After winning two of its first three matches, the club has gone winless in its last four (0W-3L-1D), losing to the Houston Dynamo, Philadelphia Union, and Vancouver Whitecaps before fighting back from a 3-0 half time deficit against Sporting Kansas City to salvage a 3-3 draw on the road.
Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau will square off against his former club for the first time since he departed LAFC over the winter as a free agent. Crépeau, who spent the last two seasons with the Black & Gold, helped LAFC hoist the 2022 MLS Cup.
The Timbers also acquired Uruguayan forward Jonathan “Cabecita” Rodríguez in late March from Mexican side Club América. Rodríguez has made three appearances for the Timbers, contributing one goal and one assist.
The Black & Gold Will Win If:
It can continue the momentum and confidence it found during the win over the Galaxy. This season, LAFC has often taken an early lead – scoring the breakthrough goal inside the first 10 minutes in three straight matches. The Black & Gold will try and follow that recipe in Portland, where it has struggled, earning just two wins (2W-4L-1D) in seven tries on the artificial turf at Providence Park.
Timbers Can Win If:
Their home support supplies them with a strong start. LAFC, still seeking its first road win of 2024, will come in hungry to take its first points away from home. Look for Portland to try and match the visitors’ energy and get the ball to Brazilian attackers Antony and Evander, who have collected three goals and two assists each so far in 2024.
