The Timbers played LAFC for the second time in two weeks, and just like two weeks ago they’d have to attempt to maintain a draw while down a player. But this time they’d fail and would end up on the short end of a 3-2 score. Denis Bouanga had two goals for the hosts including the game-winner in stoppage time, while Timothy Tillman also scored. Jonathan Rodríguez and Santiago Moreno would score for the Timbers.
In the 7th minute, Los Angeles had two great chances, the first on a shot from close-in by Denis Bouanga that was stopped by a nice save by Maxime Crépeau. Then off the ensuring corner kick, Ilie Sánchez had a header go off the left crossbar. But the Timbers had survived both great chances without giving up a goal. In the 18th minute the hosts had another great chance when Bouanga had a momentary look at an open net on a rebound, but the shot was wide left.
But in the 25th minute the pressure would pay off for LAFC, when Bouanga broke through again and chipped the shot past Crépeau, but the goal was overruled after a VAR review because the LAFC attack began with a handball.
The 32nd minute saw the Timbers get their first two good chances in quick succession, the first a chance by Santiago Moreno that was blocked, and a chance on the rebound by Jonathan Rodríguez that was wide. In the 42nd minute the Timbers had another great chance when a nice chip into the box by Juan David Mosquera was met by a header by Rodríguez, but the shot was saved.
But in the 44th minute,LAFC would be on the board but it was the Timbers that would score for them, when Kamal Miller‘s sliding defensive effort on a pass into the Timbers box redirected the ball into the net, and the score was 1-0 LAFC.
On the last touch of the first half, LAFC doubled their lead when Timothy Tillman hit a perfect shot from the top of the box, that was off the left post and in, and LAFC had a 2-0 lead at the break.
In the 65th minute, the Timbers would pull back a goal when Rodríguez trapped a failed clearance at the top of the box, then hit a perfect shot just inside the left post, and the score was now 2-1 for LAFC.
Then amazingly, in the 73rd minute, the Timbers would tie it up when Moreno’s shot from 25 yards out was deflected off Eduard Atuesta, and rebounded into the LAFC goal off the left post, and the score was now level at 2-2.
But a few minutes later the job would become much more difficult for the Timbers, when Diego Chará was ejected for his second yellow, and the Timbers would have to once again (like two weeks ago in Portland) finish the match vs. LAFC while down a man.
Crépeau would make a few very good diving saves in the next few minutes for the Timbers to keep the score level.
But in stoppage time the Timbers luck would run out, when after a failed clearance on a corner kick, Bouanga blasted a shot in off the right post, and LAFC had a late 3-2 lead. That would be the final score as LAFC would hold on for the win.
