Timbers keep Galaxy winless on the season

It seems the LA Galaxy can’t catch a break in 2025.

Sunday’s match against the Portland Timbers was another example of the misfortune that has suddenly befuddled the reigning MLS Cup champions. The Galaxy again fell behind, but this time, summoned a resolve that had rarely been seen so far this year to get back within a goal, but just as all the momentum was finally on the Galaxy’s side, the pendulum swung right back against them, as a penalty call that one could be described as debatable enabled the Timbers to get back on its feet and hold on for an eventual 4-2 win at Dignity Health Sports Park.

“I understand their frustration. It’s all of us, we’re all frustrated,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “Because you come off such a high in 2024. The last thing you want to be is digging yourself out of a hole in 2025 right off the bat. And so I get it. I ask just support and patience. We’ve got to find solutions inside of our group. We lost some really important players, especially in these key areas that I’m talking about and experience and things like that. And so, support and patience.”

Marco Reus made an impact upon entering in the 60th minute, as he scored a goal and reignited a Galaxy attack during  his time on the pitch and Christian scored the Galaxy’s opening goal. Four different Timbers, David Da Costa, Santiago Moreno, Kevin Kelsy and Jonathan Rodriguez found the back net to keep the Galaxy winless on the season.

“I always try to have impact in the game,” Reus said. “I have a little bit the feeling that we are at the moment, we are squared to make mistakes. And like I said before to the other young guys, 90 percent, it starts with the head. So then suddenly in the second half we play more forward; we overplay from positions; we don’t play A to B, from B to C. In these kind of situations, it’s hard for the opposite team to defend when you overplay position.”

Trailing 3-0 well into the second half. the Galaxy fought back starting in the 67th minute. Marco Reus sprung Joseph Paintsil down the left side, Paintsil sent a ball into the penalty area and Ramirez one-timed a shot past keeper James Pantemis into the back net to finally get the Galaxy on the board. The Galaxy pulled closer two minutes later, as Ramirez received a ball from Gabriel Pec, who then threaded a perfect pass that sprung Reus past the Timbers defense, and Reus finished a right-footed shot past Pantemis to pull the Galaxy to within a goal of the Timbers.

However, any thought of an improbable comeback for the Galaxy were taken, rather questionably in the eyes of the Galaxy faithful. It started in the 75th minute, as Finn Surman sent a long ball on a restart, Rodriguez chested  the ball down into the penalty area, Galaxy center back Emiro Garces did manage to take the ball away from Rodriguez, but in doing so clipped Rodriguez, and referee Filip Dujic judged the clip harsh enough to send Portland to the penalty spot. Rodriguez stepped up to the spot and buried the penalty to his left while McCarthy guessed wrong.

“It felt like a pretty even challenge of which they were going on around the field many a times,” Vanney said. “I’d have to see it again to have a stronger opinion. But to me from where I was, it just didn’t seem — at best, at best, it was 50/50. And you call it, it’s hard to overturn. You don’t call it, and nobody says anything, ever. And those should not dictate games; and it does because at 4-2 it’s a much bigger hill to climb, given our time.”

The Timbers jumped out to the advantage in the 38th minute. Santiago Moreno played a ball to Juan Mosquera inside the penalty area, Mosquera touched a ball towards the six and fired a shot that missed the back post, but Antony tracked down the ball, then flicked a ball past Miki Yamane back into the box, played a back pass and Da Costa one-timed a right-footed shot off keeper John McCarthy and into the back net to open the scoring.

Portland then took control in the second half. The Timbers doubled the lead in the 53rd minute on a counter attack, as Joao Ortiz sprung Antony down the right side, Antony then played a ball that got through the Galaxy defense and found the feet of Moreno, who after taking a touch, fired a shot past McCarthy into the back net. It became a 3-0 lead 10 minutes later, as Antony played Da Costa down the right side, Da Costa played a ball back to Antony, who then played a ball  into the penalty area and Kelsy one-timed a left-footed shot past McCarthy, off the bottom of the crossbar and across the goal line.