Portland Timbers battle LAFC at home for a 3-3 draw

The Portland Timbers took on LAFC last evening on a stunningly beautiful night in Portland. Portland was at Providence Park for their only home match this month after a successful 3 point road trip to Kansas City last weekend.

Head Coach Phil Neville summarized the match perfectly with his opening statements in the post-match presser, “It was a high level, brilliant game of football, so I think both sets of players should be incredibly proud of that performance… From a player’s point of view, that was an incredible advert for MLS football… not officiating, from a player’s point of view. I don’t want to add the officials into that.”

Unfortunately, the officiating has become an unwelcome factor in the majority of the matches so far this season. There have been issues with lack of consistency with fouls called, an inability to manage and control high intensity games, and blatant incorrect calls on the field from the officials. The obvious negative impacts of these mistakes were evident in the match last night.

LAFC’s Olivier Giroud was fouled by Kamal Miller in the opening minute of the match but they played the advantage. LA forward Denis Bouanga sent a ball past James Pantemis for a goal that was called offsides. The play was reviewed and the call on the field stood, but after a rewatch, it was a questionable call.

Felipe Mora, forward of the Portland Timbers opens the score during MLS Regular season match between the Portland Timbers vs LAFC at Providence Park (Photo by Diego G Diaz).

LA’s keeper and former French international teammate of Giroud, Hugo Lloris grabbed the foot of Felipe Mora while trying to make a block resulting in the Timbers’ first penalty kick of the season. Mora took the penalty and scored with a ground ball to the left in the 7th minute. Bouanga had a second goal called offside on the following play in quick response to Mora’s goal.

Portland defender Jimer Fory was back in the lineup from yellow card suspension and was the first to get a card from head referee Guido Gonzales Jr. It was a sloppy side check into Nathan Ordaz with no contact on the ball. Giroud won the header off the free kick but missed the goal.

Santiago Moreno was fouled and went to ground as he was taking the ball up field in the 19th. He managed to get a pass off to Juan Mosquera who sent a cross in for Antony. Antony’s run put him unmanned at the top of the box but his one touch in stride put the ball off the far post.

David Da Costa. MLS Regular season match between the Portland Timbers vs LAFC at Providence Park (Photo by Diego G Diaz).

Bouanga had three shots saved by blocks in the 26th, 28th, and 29th minute. The first shot took a deflection off of the back of Giroud, the second was saved by Kamal Miller, and the third was blocked by David Ayala. The consecutive corner kicks that followed were both cleared away by the Timbers.

Giroud made a big run in the 34th minute, getting a cross off to Timothy Tillman at the far post. Tillman’s shot was blocked and fell to Ordaz, who also got a shot off. Pantemis came through with the diving save to the ground at the right post.

Ayala picked up the team’s second yellow card on the following play for a foul on Bouanga. Bouanga went to ground, and LA was allowed to play the advantage. Pantemis had another big save and Ayala was shown the card after the play ended.

In the 42nd minute, Portland had lost possession about 20 yards from LA’s goal. Antony was able to strip the ball from Long, who went down and wanted a foul, and send a pass in to Moreno. With a quick side shuffle, Santi dodged his defender and took a shot over the head of Lloris and into the back of the net.

Olivier Giroud for LAFC. MLS Regular season match between the Portland Timbers vs LAFC at Providence Park (Photo by Diego G Diaz).

Portland’s 2-0 lead was cut down in the 45th when Giroud was fouled just outside of the penalty area and LA was awarded a free kick. It was Giroud who lined up to take the kick and delivered a textbook shot that deflected off the top post and across the goal line. It was his first goal in the MLS.

Moreno was fouled by Marco Delgado in the 45+3, earning LA’s first yellow card immediately followed by their second to Bouanga for dissent. Portland almost had another goal when Finn Surman got the header on a corner kick, but it missed to the right. After the additional 8 minutes of stoppage time, the first half ended with Portland up 2-1.

The second half started with Jonathan Rodriguez replacing Antony for the Timbers. Coach Neville said that it was due to an injury with Antony and not performance based. Da Costa tried to start things off for Portland in the 50th but his shot from outside the box sailed over the goal.

Bouanga took a shot in the 52nd that missed followed by another 4 minutes later that was saved by Pantemis. Ryan Hollingshead also tried to find the equalizer but his shot in the 58th hit the post. Bouanga tried again in the 62nd with Kamal Miller blocking his shot.

Rodriguez earned a yellow card in the 63rd minute for a foul on Sergi Palencia.

It was clear that LA had momentum and was looking to capitalize on it, which they did on the following play. Delgado sent a pass to Bouanga, who took the ball to the edge of the goal and cut a pass in to David Martinez in goal. With no room between Martinez and the goal, it was an unmissable shot for the equalizer in the 64th.

Jonathan Rodriguez assist. MLS Regular season match between the Portland Timbers vs LAFC at Providence Park (Photo by Diego G Diaz).

Portland did not miss a beat and was regrouped and on the attack immediately. Juan Mosquera found the head of Rodriguez at the corner of the box in the 66th minute. Rodriguez headed the ball to Mora for a header on goal. Mora had his brace for the night and Portland went back in the lead 3-2.

Igor Jesus took a shot for LA in the 71st minute that was saved by Finn Surman. Surman had a fantastic match from start to finish and proved himself against seasoned veteran players.

Neville used his first substitution window in the 74th minute to bring on Kevin Kelsy for Mora and Joao Ortiz for Ayala.

Delgado was fouled by Da Costa in the 76th minute resulting in Da Costa receiving a yellow card. The very next play saw another yellow card in the 78th. This time it was to Ryan Hollingshead for a foul on Moreno. Guido Gonzales Jr was not done there. LAFC’s head coach, Steve Cherundolo, was given a red card for stepping out of his area when protesting the yellow card.

LAFC had used the stop in play after Da Costa’s yellow to make their first substitutions. Giroud was replaced with former Timber Jeremy Ebobisse and Delgado came out for Cengiz Ünder.

APRIL 19, 2025 – PORTLAND, OR: MLS Regular season match between the Portland Timbers vs LAFC at Providence Park (Photo by Diego G Diaz).

Rodriguez tried to open his account for the season in the 80th minute but his shot was blocked by Aaron Long. Portland had another scoring opportunity on the following corner kick, but Kamal’s header missed to the right.

Pantemis made a huge save against Bouanga in the 84th. In the 87th, Bouanga took a slight touch to his ankle by Diego Chara in the penalty area. With a performance worthy of an Oscar, Bouanga sold the foul and was awarded a penalty kick after VAR review. Bouanga took the penalty and evened the score 3-3 in the 90th.

There were 11 minutes of stoppage time added to the second half. Plenty of time for another yellow card, awarded to LAFC’s Sergi Palencia, and another Finn Surman save. The final whistle blew with the score tied at 3-3 in a very hard fought, well played match.