A 95th minute dagger sinks the Timbers, putting all eyes on Decision Day

Portland can secure playoff spot with draw or win against Real Salt Lake on October 9

The Portland Timbers rallied from a deficit early in the second half with an 81st-minute goal from Dairon Asprilla, but LAFC scored in the 94th minute to register a 2-1 victory at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon. Asprilla’s goal was his ninth of the 2022 campaign. Portland will enter Decision Day against Real Salt Lake on Oct. 9 with an opportunity to secure a playoff berth by earning a draw or a win.

Playoff Position

The Timbers will enter the Decision Day with the opportunity to clinch a playoff berth by earning a draw or a win on the road against Real Salt Lake. Portland currently occupies the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings with a one-point lead over Minnesota United FC (45 points) in seventh place and two points clear of RSL in eighth place overall with 44 points and Vancouver Whitecaps FC sitting in ninth place overall with 43 points.

Stat File

With his goal, Asprilla is tied for the team lead in goals (9) this season with Jaroslaw Niezgoda. He has tallied at least nine goals with Portland in each of the last two campaigns after finishing the 2021 season with 10 goals. Asprilla has contributed four goals and one assist in his last four home matches for the Timbers. Claudio Bravo added his second assist of the season, setting up Asprilla’s goal. Bill Tuiloma registered his third assist of 2022. Tuiloma has recorded an assist in consecutive matches. With two assists, Bravo is the 11th player to register multiple assists for Portland this season.

Goal-Scoring Plays

LAFC – Carlos Vela (Kellyn Acosta), 51st minute: Carlos Vela received the ball near the edge of the box on the right side and sent a curling strike inside the left post.

POR – Dairon Asprilla (Claudio Bravo, Bill Tuiloma), 81st minute: Claudio Bravo whipped in a cross from the left side to the center of the box for Dairon Asprilla, who delivered a header from the edge of the six-yard box into the back of the net.

LAFC – Dénis Bouanga, 90+4: Dénis Bouanga received the ball at the top of the box and dribbled down the left side of the box before sliding a low shot from close range just over the goal line.

Notes

• Portland can clinch a playoff spot with a draw or win on the road against Real Salt Lake on Oct. 9.
• Dairon Asprilla recorded his ninth goal of the season, which is tied for the team lead in 2022 with Jaroslaw Niezgoda.
• Asprilla has contributed four goals and assist in his last four home matches.
• Claudio Bravo tallied his second assist of the campaign.
• Bravo is the 11th player this season to record two or more assists.
• Bill Tuiloma recorded his third assist of the season. He has recorded assists in consecutive matches.
• Portland has scored in their last 19 matches, tallying 32 goals during that span.
• The Timbers have scored in 10 straight home matches.
• Portland has scored in 29 of their 33 games this season, only LAFC (31) have scored goals in more matches.
• The Timbers have scored 38 second-half goals in 2022, which ranks as the third-most in MLS behind only LAFC (45) and Austin FC (40).
• Aljaz Ivacic registered five saves in the match. It is the 10th time this season he has recorded five or more saves in a game.
• Ivacic was named 2022 Supporters’ Player of the Year.
• Juan Mosquera made his first career MLS start in his Providence Park debut, playing all 90 minutes.
• Dario Zuparic will miss the Timbers final regular season match at RSL on Oct. 9 due to yellow card accumulation.

Portland Timbers (11-9-13, 46pts) vs. LAFC (21-8-4, 67pts)

Oct. 2, 2022 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Portland Timbers 0 1 1

LAFC 0 2 2

Scoring Summary:

LFC: Vela (Acosta), 51

POR: Asprilla (Bravo, Tuiloma), 81

LFC: Bouanga (Palacios), 90+5

Misconduct Summary:

POR: Paredes (caution), 48

LFC: Segura (caution), 57

POR: Zuparic (caution), 63

LFC: Murillo (caution), 91

Lineups:

POR: GK Ivacic, D Mabiala, D Zuparic (Fogaça, 90+5), D Tuiloma, M Mosquera, M Bravo, M D. Chara ©, M Paredes (Williamson, 74), F Asprilla, F Niezgoda (Y. Chara, 74), F Moreno (Blanco, 86)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Bingham, D McGraw, D Van Rankin, M Ayala, M Loría

TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Asprilla, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Asprilla, 3); FOULS: 15 (Asprilla, 4); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 5

LFC: GK Crepeau, D Palacios, D Segura, D Murillo, D Hollingshead, M Acosta, M Sánchez (Tello, 85), M Cifuentes (Blessing, 77), F Bouanga (Ibeagha, 90+5), F Arango (Bale, 85), F Vela © (Opoku, 77)

Substitutes Not Used: GK McCarthy, D Chiellini, M Mendez

TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Bouanga, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Bouanga, 3); FOULS: 14 (Cifuentes, 3); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 6

Referee: Ismail Elfath

Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Kyle Atkins

Fourth Official: Allen Chapman

VAR: Drew Fischer

Attendance: 25,218

Weather: Sunny, 84 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial