MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sept. 13, 2020
Kickoff: 8 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Banc of California Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Forecast: Sunny, 87 degrees
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referees: Corey Rockwell, Jason White
Fourth Official: Victor Rivas
VAR: Alejandro Mariscal
Local TV: ROOT SPORTS
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst), Nat Borchers (analyst)
English Radio: 750 The Game
Talent: Keith Bleyer (play-by-play), Joe Sleven (analyst), Fletcher Johnson (host)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
LAST TIME OUT
The Portland Timbers received a late goal in the 83rd minute from Felipe Mora to record a 2-1 win on the road against Seattle Sounders FC on Sept. 6. Eryk Williamson notched his first career MLS goal in the ninth minute and then added the assist on Mora’s game winner in the road victory.
SCOUTING LAFC
LAFC (3-4-3, 12pts) enters Sunday’s match following a 3-0 loss on the road against Real Salt Lake. LAFC has lost consecutive matches, but did earn a 5-1 win at home against the San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 2. LAFC is led by the league’s top goal scorer Diego Rossi, who has tallied nine goals in 10 regular-season matches, while also adding two assists. Rossi has three goals in his last four matches, including a brace in LAFC’s win over San Jose. Bradley Wright-Phillips has four goals and one assist in eight games this season.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Sunday’s match marks the eighth meeting all-time across all competitions between the Timbers and Los Angeles FC, with Portland trailing the series 2-3-2. Against LAFC away from Portland across all competitions, the Timbers have recorded four points, holding a record of 1-2-1. In two regular-season starts against LAFC, Portland midfielder Cristhian Paredes has tallied two goals and an assist. Portland forward Jeremy Ebobisse tallied the game-winning goal against LAFC in the quarterfinal round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on July 10, 2019, in the last meeting between the two sides. These two teams most recently squared off in the group stage of the MLS is Back Tournament on July 23, playing to a 2-2 draw. Ebobisse scored a late-game goal to help Portland secure the top spot in its group, while Jaroslaw Niezgoda scored his first goal in his first start for the Timbers.
MORA STREAKING
Felipe Mora has continued to make an impact, scoring a goal in three consecutive matches for Portland. Mora entered the match as a substitute against Seattle on Sept. 6 and tallied the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute. Two of his three goals this season have come in a substitute role. In his first career start with the club, Mora played all 90 minutes and tallied a goal against the LA Galaxy on Sept. 2 He is now tied for second on the team with three goals this season. Mora is the first Timbers player to score in three MLS regular-season matches in less than ten days in club history. He is also the second Portland player (Jeremy Ebobisse) this season to score a goal in three consecutive matches.
DEPTH ON DISPLAY
Across all competitions in 2020, 24 players have appeared in at least one match for Portland, while 10 different players have scored a goal and 11 different players have recorded at least one assist. In total 19 players featured across seven games in the MLS is Back Tournament for the Timbers, and 15 of those 19 players appeared in at least three games during the tournament. Several players made their club debuts during the MLS is Back Tournament, including Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Pablo Bonilla and Blake Bodily.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Three different Timbers players have three or more goals this season. Diego Valeri leads the team with four goals and Jeremy Ebobisse and Felipe Mora are tied with three apiece. No MLS team has more than Portland’s three players with three or more goals in regular-season play.
ERYK WILLIAMSON MAKING NOISE
In his second season as a professional, Eryk Williamson, 23, has tallied a career-high two assists and has added one goal in 11 appearances (9 starts) across all competitions for the Timbers. In the Timbers’ 2-1 win at Seattle on Sept. 6, Williamson notched his first career MLS goal and also tallied the assist on the game-winning goal late in the match. For his performance he was named to the MLS Team of the Week for Week 10. He is the 21st different player to have a goal and assist in the same MLS match for the Timbers. Additionally, Williamson is the 60th different player to score in an MLS match for Portland. Williamson tallied the game-winning assist on Dario Zuparic’s goal in a 2-1 win over Orlando City SC in the MLS is Back Tournament Final on Aug. 11. Williamson made seven appearances (6 starts) in the competition, ranking third on the team in assists (2) and fouls suffered (11). Notably, Williamson finished tied for first amongst all players with LAFC’s Brian Rodriguez for game-winning assists (2) during the MLS is Back Tournament.
FAST STARTS
With their ninth-minute goal against the Sounders on Sept. 6, Portland has now scored four goals in the first 15 minutes of a match in 2020. That is the most among all MLS teams and doubles Portland’s total from 2019.
