MATCH RECAP | Portland Timbers 2, Los Angeles FC 1

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers got off to a quick start and struck late, providing thrilling bookends to a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles FC on Wednesday night in front of 23,500 supporters at Providence Park.

After trading goals early in the match, the Timbers and LAFC were deadlocked for 76 minutes. That was until Felipe Mora, a second-half substitute, provided the game’s winning goal in the 93rd minute, placing a perfect header inside the left post.

• MATCHCENTER: Stats and Boxscore

The Timbers also struck first, in just the second minute of the match. But LAFC found the equalizer just 15 minutes later.

Diego Valeri’s opening goal found the back of the net just 1:19 into the contest. It was the fourth-quickest goal in Timbers MLS history. Notably, the goal for Valeri was his 100th across all competitions with the club since 2013. It was just his second goal of the 2021 regular season.

The game-tying goal by LAFC’s Carlos Vela in the 17th minute marked his ninth goal of the season.

With the win, the Timbers slot into sixth place in the Western Conference, and stay above the playoff line.

Goal-Scoring Plays

2’ (POR) – Early into the match, Valeri calmly controlled a cross into the box by defender Josecarlos Van Rankin and finished underneath a lunging effort by LAFC goalkeeper Tomas Romero.

17’ (LAFC) – A long pass played over the top down the right flank found attacker Diego Rossi, charging into the attacking third. Rossi squared a pass across the six-yard box to Vela, who tapped in a left-footed shot past Steve Clark.

90+3’ (POR) – Sebastián Blanco whipped a cross in from the right side line from deep. The ball found the head of Mora inside the area and he tucked a header inside the far left post.

Notes

• Portland is 2-1-1 against LAFC at Providence Park.
• The Timbers are 5-2-0 at home in the 2021 campaign.
• Valeri tallied his 100th goal across all competitions for the Timbers.
• Van Rankin recorded his third assist of the regular season, and team best fifth across all competitions in 2021. 
• Marvin Loría tallied his third assist of the 2021 campaign.
• Mora scored his third goal of the regular season, and fifth across all competitions.
• Mora’s goal was his fifth game winner with the club, and second of this season.
• Blanco logged his first assist of the 2021 campaign.
• Fourteen different players have recorded an assist for Portland across all competitions.
• Five different players have scored multiple goals for the Timbers in the 2021 campaign.
• Valeri’s goal at 1:19 into the game is the fourth fastest in club history.
• George Fochive earned his first start of the 2021 campaign.
• Steve Clark logged a season high five saves.
• Van Rankin, Dairon Asprilla, and Diego Valeri are the only Timbers to appear in all 13 regular season matches in 2021.
• This season, 25 different players have earned a start for the Timbers.
• Overall, the Timbers are 92-34-45 in regular season play at Providence Park.

Portland Timbers (6-6-1, 19pts) vs. LAFC (6-5-3, 21pts)
July 21, 2021 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Scoring Summary:
POR: Valeri (Van Rankin, Loría), 2
LAFC: Vela (Rossi, Segura), 17
POR: Mora (Blanco), 90+3

Misconduct Summary:
POR: Paredes (caution), 86

Lineups:
POR: GK Clark, D Bonilla (Bodily, 86), D Mabiala, D Tuiloma, D Van Rankin, M Fochive (Paredes, 67), M D. Chara ©, M Loría (Asprilla, 67), M Y. Chara (Blanco, 74), M Valeri, F Ebobisse (Mora, 74)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Ivacic, GK Sulte, D McGraw, M Zambrano

TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Valeri, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Valeri, 2); FOULS: 12 (Asprilla, Ebobisse, 2); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 5

LAFC: GK Romero, D Segura, D Palacios (Edwards, 68), D Blackmon, D Farfan, D Kim (Baird, 68), M Blessing, M Ginella (Duke, 68), M Cifuentes, F Rossi, F Vela (Rodríguez, 79)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Sisniega, D Harvey, D Fall, D Quezada, M Atuesta

TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Rossi, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Rossi, 3); FOULS: 8 (Segura, 3); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 1

Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistant Referees: Corey Rockwell, Chris Elliott
Fourth Official: Ismir Pekmic
VAR: Alejandro Mariscal

Weather: Sunny, 75 degrees
Attendance: 23,500

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial