Portland Timbers 2, LAFC 2 - Instant Reaction
The Timbers hang onto a point despite second half red card for Max Crepeau.
The Portland Timbers drew 2-2 with LAFC in a wild match that saw magnificent goals, a game-changing sending-off, and Herculean performances from some of the team’s key players. Evander shone brightly in the first half, registering an assist for Felipe Mora before scoring himself either side of an LAFC equalizer from Mateusz Bogusz that saw the Timbers go into the break 2-1 up. But an unfortunate red card from goalkeeper Max Crepeau against his former club in the 48th minute led directly to another Bogusz goal, and put the Timbers on the back foot and down a man for nearly 50 second half minutes.
After success in recent matches vs the Vancouver Whitecaps and Sporting Kansas City, Phil Neville opted to start both Felipe Mora and Jonathan Rodriguez along the forward line, shifting the latter to the left wing and dropping Santi Moreno to the bench. Another big call from the Timbers’ coach was starting David Ayala next to Diego Chara at the base of the midfield instead of Cristhian Paredes or Eryk Williamson - a move that looked like a smart one in practice. Claudio Bravo also returned to the starting XI for the first time this season. Hard lines for Eric Miller, who’s first MLS goal rescued a point for the Timbers just six days ago in Kansas City.
The Timbers got off to the perfect start in the 12th minute when Felipe Mora got the deftest of touches on a wicked cross from Evander to guide the ball past a rooted Hugo Lloris and open the scoring. Finishing has been an issue for the Timbers in recent years, but with Mora - who has now scored in three consecutive matches - the Timbers have an elite MLS poacher who, according to Phil Neville, makes the team around him better.
Mateusz Bogusz equalized in the 22nd minute to peg the Timbers back after Miguel Araujo ventured out of position, leaving a massive gap between Kamal Miller and Juan Mosquera that LAFC’s false-nine exploited expertly. If I’m being extremely critical I’d say Miller was slow to react to Bogusz’s run once it was clear that Araujo was out of position, but Bogusz still had a ton of work to do to beat Crepeau in net and struck the ball as perfectly as he could have.
But Evander’s magic was once again on display in the 34th minute, controlling a pass from Mosquera on his chest before rifling the ball into the roof of the net on the volley to put the Timbers back up 2-1. Kamal Miller’s distribution launched the attack, and Evander’s run was picked out well by Mosquera - who registered his third assist of the season, sending the Timbers into halftime 2-1 up.
What happened next, you ask? Chaos happened, that’s what!
A long ball over the top sent Denis Bouanga behind the Timbers backline and 1v1 with Crepeau, whose dangling leg caught Bouanga on the edge of the box and was deemed denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity - reducing the Timbers to 10 men with the vast majority of the second half still to play. Bogusz stepped up to take the ensuing free kick, and once again, placed his shot perfectly over the wall and past a helpless James Pantemis to level the scoring a second time.
Bravo unfortunately kept Bouanga onside on the play and once Crepeau brought Bouanga down the red card was inevitable. A crushing blow to a team that had matched the intensity of LAFC in the first half, and looked on-course to pick up their first three points since week three of the season.
But despite huffing and puffing that the big bad wolf would have been proud of, LAFC could not blow the Timbers’ proverbial house down with their man advantage in what was a promising and defiant display of defending from a Timbers team that hasn’t produced many in recent memory. Claudio Bravo was simply faultless in the second half, leading a backline without Zac McGraw (concussion protocol) and Dario Zuparic (personal reasons) to an unexpected point with the match finishing 2-2.
Kamal Miller said that the result felt like two points dropped at home, and while I agree, it wasn’t for a lack of effort. Once they went down to 10 men, the team bunkered down to a man and earned a valuable point in circumstances many teams would have crumbled under.
Scoring Summary
Portland: Mora (12’), Evander (34’)
LAFC: Bogusz (22’, 51’)
Next Up:
No rest for the wicked, as the Timbers go back on the road to face the Columbus Crew on April 20. Kickoff slated for 4:30 p.m. PT.
I got a pretty good shot of Evander's goal:
https://www.pdxcite.net/soccercityusa/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/lafc041324-1024.jpg
The Timbers are clearly a better team with Mora and Chara out there, but the defensive breakdowns keep coming. The Crépeau red card was a tough double-whammy (the close-in free kick, plus the ejection), but it appears to be the correct call.
I'm just amazed that with all the LAFC two-hand shoves, over the back fouls on Mora, and just grabbing and fouling at-will, they somehow managed to avoid anyone getting a second yellow. I loved it when an LAFC player got a foul that was clearly a second yellow, the ref just gave him a verbal warning.
Oh and also: can we talk about the Unipiper? That was an embarrassment. I'm not one to be all dogmatic about how the national anthem should be performed - I honestly don't think it should be played at sporting events at all. I mean, it's not played at any other collective entertainment event. They don't play it before movies/concerts/operas/whatever, so why is it still played at sporting events (and yes, I know its history, I know why it started to be played at sporting events)? But if it is to be played, at least play/sing it competently.
I have nothing against the Unipiper generally, but he was clearly unprepared, and the whole thing just came off as a ridiculous joke.