LAFC vs. Portland Timbers
Saturday, April 27 at 7:30pm PT
Location: BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, CA
TV: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Coming off a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls last weekend, LAFC hosts the Portland Timbers on Saturday, April 27, at BMO Stadium.
A Denis Bouanga brace helped the Black & Gold (3W-3L-3D) salvage a point against New York, but LAFC fell one spot (into seventh place) in the Western Conference standings, with 12 points earned through nine matches played.
LAFC is 7W-6L-6D against the Timbers all-time, across all competitions, and has lost just once to Portland in their last six meetings (3W-1L-2D). The clubs met two weeks ago in Oregon, playing to a 2-2 draw with Mateusz Bogusz netting both LAFC goals and former LAFC goalie Maxime Crépeau leaving early after receiving a red card.
Timbers in-depth
Led by head coach Phil Neville, the Timbers (2W-3L-4D; 11th place in the Western Conference) are trying to earn their first playoff appearance since they reached the MLS Cup final in 2021.
After winning two of their first three matches to start the season, the Timbers have gone winless in their last six (0W-3L-3D), including three-straight draws (against Sporting Kansas City, LAFC, and the Columbus Crew). Scoring goals hasn’t been an issue. Thirty-year-old Chilean striker Felipe Mora has found the net in four straight matches. Portland has tallied 10 goals over its last five games but has conceded 13 goals in the same span.
If 38-year-old captain Diego Chará plays against LAFC, he will set the MLS record for most appearances for a single club (377).
Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau returns to BMO Stadium for the first time since he departed LAFC over the winter as a free agent. Crépeau spent the last two seasons with the Black & Gold and helped LAFC hoist the 2022 MLS Cup.
The Black & Gold Can Win If:
It can limit Evander’s freedom. The 25-year-old Brazilian has staked his claim as one of the top playmakers in MLS this season, creating goals and assists within the tightest spaces. “Those little transition moments with their creativity and ability to combine with direct and one-touch passing up the middle – usually starting with Evander – are excellent, and are something we have to be aware of and we'll be careful with,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said this week.
The Timbers Can Win If:
They can somehow steal the breakthrough goal and claim a 1-0 lead. LAFC remains nearly impossible to beat when it gets on the scoreboard first, especially at home. Last year LAFC went 22W-1L-4D across all competitions when scoring the opening goal – including 16W-0L-3D in MLS play. This year all three of LAFC’s wins have come after they went up 1-nil. If the Timbers’ 4-2-3-1 formation can push the game early and punch one in, the visitors’ chances of getting a result will increase.
