TIMBERS FALL 2-1 ON THE ROAD AGAINST LA GALAXY
The Portland Timbers did not surrender a goal from the run of play, but fell 2-1 on the road to the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in front of 23,820 fans on Sunday night. The Galaxy tallied two goals from the penalty spot, while Jeremy Ebobisse recorded his second goal of the season in the Timbers’ fourth consecutive road match to begin the 2019 season.
The 250 mark
With the start, Diego Chara appeared in his 250th career MLS match for the Timbers (regular season and playoffs). Since his debut on April 23, 2011, no MLS player has played more combined regular season and playoff matches for a single club than Chara.
Timbers firsts
Jorge Moreira made his Timbers debut in the match, starting and playing 90 minutes. David Guzmán recorded an assist on Portland’s goal, his first assist of the 2019 season.
Key plays
Holding a spell of possession in the Galaxy’s half of the field, Diego Valeri dribbled along the end line and slotted a pass back to the edge of the box that deflected off a Galaxy player and landed for Sebastián Blanco, who fired a swerving strike from just inside the box, but goalkeeper David Bingham parried the attempt away in the 21st minute.
The Galaxy took a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute as Zlatan Ibrahimović converted from the penalty spot after Portland was whistled for a foul on Ibrahimović inside the box.
Driving forward on the counter-attack, Ebobisse helped create a turnover near midfield and poked the ball to Blanco. He surged down field toward goal and unleashed a strike from the edge of the box that went just over the crossbar in the 40th minute.
The Timbers leveled the match in the 44th minute as Chara, Guzmán and Valeri combined to set up the goal. Chara dribbled through the midfield and passed the ball to Guzmán near the edge of the box. Guzmán quickly played the ball to Valeri, who immediately delivered the ball back to Guzmán making a run into the box. Guzmán then sent a low, hard pass across the face of goal to Ebobisse for the finish from close range.
Goalkeeper Jeff Attinella made a key stop in the 60th minute to deny Ibrahimović. Rolf Feltscher played a cross into the box from the right side and Ibrahimović fired a shot from near the six-yard box, but Attinella came off his line quickly to smother the attempt.
Ibrahimović was awarded a second penalty after the Timbers were whistled for a foul inside the box in the 64th minute and he put the Galaxy in front by a score of 2-1.
Next game
The Timbers travel to square off against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, April 6, at Avaya Stadium. Beginning at 5 p.m. (Pacific), the April 6 match will feature a local television broadcast on ROOT SPORTS with local radio broadcasts on 1029 and 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).
Portland Timbers (0-3-1, 1pt) vs. LA Galaxy (3-1-0, 9pts)
March 31, 2019 – Dignity Health Sports Park (Carson, Calif.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Timbers 1 0 1
LA Galaxy 1 1 2
Scoring Summary:
LA: Ibrahimovic (Penalty kick), 33
POR: Ebobisse (Guzmán, Valeri), 44
LA: Ibrahimovic (Penalty kick), 65
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Blanco (Caution), 59
POR: Valeri (Caution), 65
LA: dos Santos (Caution), 68
LA: Lletget (Caution), 75
LA: Ibrahimovic (Caution), 80
Lineups:
POR: GK Attinella, D Moreira, D Cascante, D Tuiloma, D Dielna (Melano, 87), D Valentin, M Guzmán (Conechny, 90+2), M Chara, M Blanco, F Ebobisse (Polo, 69), F Valeri ©
Substitutes Not Used: GK Clark, D Villafaña, M Flores, M Asprilla
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Blanco, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Blanco, 2); FOULS: 14 (Two players tied, 4); OFFSIDES:1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 0
LA: GK Bingham, D Feltscher, D Steres, D Polenta, D Skjelvik, M Lletget, M dos Santos, M Alessandrini (Pontius, 74), M Corona, M Antuna (Boateng, 77), F Ibrahimović ©
Substitutes Not Used: GK Lampson, D Araujo, D Romney, M Álvarez, M Carrasco
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Ibrahimovic, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Ibrahimovic, 2); FOULS: 13 (Two players tied, 3); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 3
Referee: Ted Unkel
Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Mike Rottersman
4th Official: Alejandro Mariscal
VAR: Kevin Stott
Attendance: 23,820
Weather: Partly cloudy, 77 degrees