Timbers, LAFC Battle to Thrilling 3-3 Draw in Providence Park Showdown
PORTLAND, Ore. — A wild match at Providence Park on Saturday night saw the Portland Timbers and Los Angeles FC battle to a 3-3 draw in a game filled wiht lead changes, penalties, a stunning free kick, and even the ejection of a coach.
The Timbers jumped out to an early lead in the 7th minute when Felipe Mora converted a penalty after being taken down in the box by LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The home crowd erupted as Mora calmly slotted the ball into the net,giving Portland a 1-0 advantage.
Portland continued to press, and in the 42nd minute, Santiago Moreno capitalized on some space, heading the ball past Lloris to extend the Timbers’ lead to 2-0. The Timbers looked to be in control as halftime approached.
However, LAFC responded just before the break. In the final moments of the first half,French forward Olivier Giroud,making his mark in his debut MLS season,unleashed a stunning free kick from just outside the box. The ball sailed past Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, cutting Portland’s lead to 2-1 and injecting new life into the visitors. This was Giroud’s first regular-season MLS goal for LAFC.
The second half began with renewed intensity from LAFC. Denis Bouanga, who had two earlier goals disallowed for offside, continued to be a threat. in the 64th minute, Bouanga delivered a low cross that found David Martínez in the box, who tapped it in to level the score at 2-2.But Portland quickly responded. Just two minutes later, Mora found himself in the center of the LAFC defense and headed home a well-placed cross, restoring Portland’s lead at 3-2. it was Mora’s second goal of the night and his fourth of the season, further solidifying his place as a key player for the Timbers. With 43 goals for Portland in his MLS career, Mora now stands as the club’s third-leading scorer in history.
Though, LAFC were not to be denied. In the 79th minute, after a controversial foul call, Bouanga stepped up to take a penalty kick. Crépeau guessed correctly and dove to his right, but Bouanga’s shot was too powerful, finding the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3.
The final minutes of the match were filled with tense moments as both teams searched for a winning goal. LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo was ejected from the match in the 88th minute after receiving his second yellow card for dissent. Despite the late drama, neither team could find the decisive goal, and the match ended in a 3-3 draw.
The draw leaves both teams with a point. The Timbers (x-x-x) will lick their wounds and prepare for their next match, while LAFC (x-x-x) will look to build on their second-half comeback.
