With goals from Tega Ikoba and Josh Penn, Timbers2 extended their unbeaten streak to six matches with a 2-2 draw at LAFC2. T2 moves into seventh place in the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference.
FULLERTON, Calif. – Timbers2 picked up their sixth straight result with a 2-2 draw against LAFC2 on Friday night at Titan Stadium. Tega Ikoba and Josh Penn each scored their sixth goal of the 2024 season as T2 picked up its first-ever road result against the Southern California side. The draw propelled the club to seventh place in the Western Conference standings with six games left to play in the regular season.
Leading Scorers
Ikoba and Penn each netted their sixth goals of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season, remaining tied for the team lead in goals scored. The duo surpassed Kyle Linhares, who has scored five times this season. Together, the attacking trio have combined to net 17 of the club’s 35 goals so far this season. Additionally, Ikoba became the first T2 player this season to score in four consecutive matches. The forward scored the club’s second-ever hat trick in a match against Sporting Kansas City II on July 25 and has since scored a goal against The Town FC (Aug. 4), Austin FC II (Aug. 8) and LAFC2. Penn scored his third goal from the penalty spot this season.
Home Stretch
Timbers2 enter the final stretch of the regular season with just three defeats in their last 15 matches (5-3-7), a run that dates back to a 2-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC2 on May 3. Additionally, T2 is currently on a six-game unbeaten run (2W, 4D) with 12 goals scored. Of the club’s six remaining matches, three are at home and three are on the road. T2 and LAFC2 will square off one last time on Sept. 14, at Providence Park.
Goal-Scoring Plays
LAFC – Luis Müller, 7th minute: With LAFC2 awarded a free kick on the right side of the box, Luis Müller stepped up and used his left foot to send the ball through the wall and into the bottom-right corner of the net.
POR – Tega Ikoba (Harvey Neville), 45+4 minute: Off a short-corner, Harvey Neville received the ball in the right corner of the field and sent a cross into the box that found Tega Ikoba at the far post. The forward outjumped several defenders to head the ball off the ground and into the goal.
POR – Josh Penn (penalty kick), 48th minute: With Portland awarded a penalty kick after Kyle Linhares was fouled inside the box, Josh Penn stepped up and used his left foot to slot the ball to the bottom-right corner.
LAFC – Diego Rosales, 82nd minute: Ryan Bilichuk saved a shot attempted by Nick Sullivan, but the high-arching rebound found the head of Diego Rosales who guided it into the upper-left corner of the goal.
Notes
- With tonight’s draw, T2 extended their unbeaten run to six games (2W, 4D), dating back to July 14.
- The club has scored 12 goals in the five-match span.
- Additionally, it was T2’s first-ever result at Titan Stadium in series history.
- With their goals tonight, Ikoba and Penn lead the club in goals with six each.
- Ikoba’s headed goal in the 45+4 was his sixth goal of the MLS NEXT Pro season.
- All six of the forward’s goals have come in T2’s last four matches.
- Notably, the goal was the first T2 has scored on the road against LAFC2 in series history.
- Additionally, Harvey Neville notched his team-leading fifth assist of the season.
- Penn’s penalty-kick goal in the 48th minute was his team-leading third goal from the penalty spot.
- Ikoba, Penn and Linhares have accounted for 17 of T2’s 35 goals scored so far this season.
- The penalty-kick shootout marked T2’s MLS NEXT Pro-leading 10 shootout of the season.
- The win propelled Timbers2 to seventh place in the Western Conference with 32 points.
Next Game
After a weekend off, Timbers2 will return to action against The Town FC on September 1 at Providence Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. (Pacific) and will be broadcasted on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
Timbers2 (6-6-10, 32pts) at LAFC2 (10-6-5, 38pts)
August 16, 2024 – Titan Stadium (Fullerton, Calif.)
Scoring Summary:
LAFC: Müller, 7
POR: Ikoba (Neville), 45+4
POR: Penn (penalty kick), 48
LAFC: Rosales, 82
Shootout Summary:
1 LAFC: Guerra – Goal
1 POR: Pope – Goal
2 LAFC: Moyado – Goal
2 POR: Eisenberg – Goal
3 LAFC: Bombino – Goal
3 POR: Ikoba – Save
4 LAFC: Berumen – Goal
4 POR: Linhares – Goal
5 LAFC: Sullivan – Goal
Misconduct Summary:
LAFC: Rosales (caution), 25
POR: Ikoba (caution), 34
POR: Jura (caution), 76
LAFC: Jaime (caution), 84
Lineups:
POR: GK Bilichuk, D Jura, D Pope, D Ferdinand, D Rad, D Neville (Eisenberg, 89), M Johnston (Najib, 89), M Enriquez (Moreno, 73), F Penn, F Ikoba, F Linhares
Substitutes Not Used: GK Miller, D Nystrom, D Bautista, M Izoita, M Tate, M Nuñez
TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Penn, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Penn, Ikoba, 2); FOULS: 8 (Eisenberg, Ikoba, 2); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 5
LAFC: GK Ochoa, D Bombino, D Diaz, D Rosales, D Jaime, M Musto (Nielsen, 45), M Evans (Moyado, 45), M Terry (Guerra, 45), F Müller (Rosenthal, 75), F Sullivan, F Wibowo (Berumen, 75)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Auffret, D Soto, M Wanchope, F Hernandez
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Sullivan, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Rosales, Nielsen, 2); FOULS: 12 (Rosales, 3); OFFSIDES: 6; CORNER KICKS: 11; SAVES: 6
Referee: Robert Vincze
Assistant Referees: Bruno Rizo, Clarence Clark
Fourth Official: Alexandr Netrebchuk
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
