PER TIMBERS RELEASE
The Portland Timbers received a pair of goals in each half, including a brace from Cristhian Paredes, to record a 4-0 win against the LA Galaxy at Providence Park on Saturday night. Diego Valeri added a goal and an assist, Jeremy Ebobisse recorded his seventh goal of the season and Jorge Villafaña tallied two assists to help the Timbers extend their unbeaten streak in all competitions to seven games.
Recent form
With the win, Portland (9-8-4, 31pts) is unbeaten in its last seven games in all competitions (5-0-2). During that span, the Timbers have recorded four shutouts, outscoring their opponents, 12-4. Portland improved to 4-1-2 in all competitions at Providence Park in 2019 and is unbeaten in its last six home matches (4-0-2), with four shutouts. Additionally, the Timbers have outscored their opponents 16-3 during their six-game home unbeaten run.
Against the Galaxy
Portland is 2-1-0 in all competitions against the Galaxy in 2019, including consecutive 4-0 home wins. The Timbers also registered a 4-0 win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the Galaxy on June 19 at Providence Park. Portland has outscored the Galaxy 9-2 in their three matches this season. In MLS play, the Timbers improved to 5-2-3 at home in the all-time series.
On the attack
Ebobisse, Paredes and Valeri all recorded goals in the match, while Sebastián Blanco, Valeri, Jorge Moreira, Villafaña and Renzo Zambrano tallied assists against the Galaxy. For Paredes, it was his first career brace with the Timbers, bringing his season total to five goals. Valeri recorded his sixth goal of the season and added his 12th assist of the campaign. Ebobisse recorded his seventh goal of the season. Moreira registered his third assist of 2019, becoming the third Timbers player (Blanco, Valeri) with three or more assists. Blanco added his ninth assist of the season, while Zambrano tallied his first career MLS assist.
Key plays
Valeri came close to opening the scoring in the 21st minute of the match. He intercepted a pass just outside the Galaxy box, dribbled into the box and fired a low, hard strike toward the left corner of the goal that was saved by Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham.
Less than a minute later, the Timbers sprung Brian Fernandez free on the counter-attack down the left side of the field. Fernandez surged down field after receiving a pass from Blanco and unleashed a shot from the left wing, but Bingham parried away the attempt.
Portland grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute. Valeri played the ball out wide to Moreira on the right side. Moreira delivered a pinpoint cross to the center of the box for Paredes, who converted from close range with a header.
Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark made a key save in the 40th minute. Zlatan Ibrahimovic got in behind Portland’s backline and fired a shot from inside the box, but Clark came off his line to block the shot from point-blank range with his chest.
Portland doubled its lead in the 41st minute on the counter-attack. Receiving the ball in space on the left side, Valeri dribbled to the edge of the box, nutmegged Daniel Steres and tucked the ball into the bottom, right corner of the goal.
Clark was called into action in the 48th minute. After the Galaxy played a cross from the left edge of the box to the left post, Favio Álvarez fired a shot from inside five yards and again Clark reacted to make the save.
On the counter-attack, Blanco nearly added to the Timbers lead in the 51st minute. Collecting the ball just outside the box, Blanco cut back toward the middle of the goal, sending a shot toward the bottom left corner of the goal, but Bingham dove to his right to push the ball wide of the post.
Searching for another goal, Ebobisse played a cross from the left edge of the box. The ball went all the way through the box and landed for Valeri, who settled the ball before delivering a shot that went just wide of the left post in the 53rd minute.
In the 75th minute, Clark denied Uriel Antuna near the goal line and then, just a minute later, Portland came close to adding to its lead on the break as Blanco fired a shot from close range that was saved by Bingham.
The Timbers increased their lead to 3-0 in the 81st minute as Paredes completed his first career brace with Portland. Villafaña dribbled down the left side of the field and played the ball to Paredes, who sent a knuckling strike off the bounce from the edge of the box into the back of the net.
Portland added a fourth goal in the 88th minute. Villafaña dribbled to the end line and played a cross to Ebobisse, who deposited the ball into the goal with a header near the right post.
Notes:
- Cristhian Paredes scored the first brace of his Timbers career and his second as a professional player (May 11, 2016 for Sol de América). Paredes now has four goals this season.
- Paredes has scored five career goals for Portland with four coming against the two Los Angeles MLS teams.
- Sebastián Blanco delivered his ninth assist of the season, which is tied for fifth-most in MLS in 2019.
- Jorge Villafaña registered two assists in the match. It is the second time in his MLS career that Villafaña has tallied two assists in a single match, with both matches coming against the Galaxy.
- Jorge Moreira has three assists in 2019, becoming the third Timbers player with three or more assists this season.
- Renzo Zambrano recorded the first assist of his Timbers career in the match.
- Jeremy Ebobisse scored his seventh goal of the season.
- Ebobisse has four headed goals this season, which is the second-most in MLS play in 2019.
- The victory was the fifth time in MLS play that the Timbers have scored four or more goals in a shutout victory, marking the second time this season.
- Diego Valeri delivered his 12th assist of the season, which ranks third in MLS this season.
- Valeri became the 13th MLS player with 150 combined goals and assists for a career.
Next game
The Timbers travel for a road match against Minnesota United FC on Sunday, Aug. 4, at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minn. Beginning at 1 p.m. (Pacific), the match features a national television broadcast on ESPN with local radio broadcasts on 1029 and 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).
