LAFC 4, Portland Timbers 2 | 2020 MLS Match Recap

In a game that saw five goals in 22 minutes in the first half, LAFC picked up three desperately needed points at at Banc of California Stadium, beating the visiting Portland Timbers 4-2. 

Portland’s Eryk Williamson opened the scoring in the 25th minute and LAFC responded with three goals of their own before halftime. After a couple of frustrating misses earlier in the half, Bradley Wright-Phillips was involved in two of the three, first flicking a header off a corner kick to set up Mark-Anthony Kaye and later burying a goal himself in the first minute of stoppage time. In between, Brian Rodriguez sent a perfect throughball to Diego Rossi coming down the left side, who then and blasted it past Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark.

Portland charged back and responded a minute later when Jeremy Ebobisse floated a header over LAFC goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega on the other end. The game opened up in the second half and both sides worked to add to the goal total. The Timbers were unable to find the equalizer and Danny Musovski put the game to bed at the death, sealing the win at 4-2.

Goals

• 25' - POR - Eryk Williamson | WATCH
• 37' - LFC - Mark-Anthony Kaye | WATCH
• 41' - LFC - Diego Rossi | WATCH
• 45'+1' - LFC - Bradley Wright-Phillips | WATCH
• 45'+2' - POR - Jeremy Ebobisse | WATCH
• 90'+5' - LFC - Danny Musovski | WATCH

Three Things

• THE BIG PICTURE: After losing four of their previous five matches, LAFC needed a win tonight to start turning things around. Three points takes them from 10th place in the Western Conference to well above the playoff line in 4th place.
• MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The Portland Timbers scored first, but LAFC responded 12 minutes later and didn’t let up from there.
• MAN OF THE MATCH: After a big miss at the top of the box and shot right into Clark in the 35th minute, Bradley Wright-Phillips continued to put himself in dangerous places and ended up with a goal and an assist.

Next Up

• LAFC: Friday, September 18 at Seattle Sounders (10 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, DAZN in Canada)
• POR: Wednesday, September 16 at San Jose Earthquakes (9:30 pm ET | FS1, FOX Deportes in US; MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)