Timbers win 2-1 over LA FC

The Portland Timbers earned a 2-1 win against LAFC at Providence Park on Wednesday night. Diego Valeri opened the scoring in the second minute, marking his 100^th goal across all competitions for the Timbers. In second-half stoppage time,­­ Felipe Mora tallied the game winner for Portland.

100 Goals for Valeri
In his 290^th appearance (263rd start) across all competitions, Valeri tallied his 100^th goal for the Timbers. In nine seasons with Portland, Valeri has registered 86 goals and 90 assists in 246 regular-season appearances. With his second goal of the 2021 campaign, Valeri leads the team in shots (28) and chances created (25).

2021 Season Leaders
Across all competitions for Portland in 2021, Mora leads the Timbers in goals (5), and Josecarlos Van Rankin leads in assists (5). In the regular season campaign, Mora, Dairon Asprilla, and Jeremy Ebobisse have each tallied a team high three goals, and Loría and Van Rankin have both recorded a team best three assists.

Portland at Home
With the win, the Timbers improved to 5-2-0 at home in the regular season. In four matches played against LAFC at Providence Park, the Timbers now lead the series 2-1-1. Overall, Portland is 92-34-45 at home.

Goal-Scoring Plays
POR – Diego Valeri (Josecarlos Van Rankin, Marvin Loría), 2^nd minute: From just outside of the 18-yard-box, Van Rankin sent in a lofted diagonal cross to Valeri on the right far post. Bringing it down with his chest, Valeri megged LAFC goalkeeper Tomas Romero to find the back of the net.

LFC – Carlos Vela (Diego Rossi, Eddie Segura), 17^th minute: Segura drove a 50-yard pass up the right wing, into the path of Rossi. With one touch, he drilled the ball across the six-yard box finding Vela on the far post, who tapped it into the goal.

POR – Felipe Mora (Sebastián Blanco), 90+3 minute: From the wide right flank, Blanco whipped a curling cross into the box. Mora came to meet the ball in the air near the penalty spot, and redirected it with his head into the far post netting.

Notes

• Portland is 2-1-1 against LAFC at Providence Park.
• The Timbers are 5-2-0 at home, and 6-6-1 overall in the 2021 campaign.
• Valeri tallied his 100^th goal across all competitions for the Timbers.
• Van Rankin recorded his third assist of the regular season, and team best fifth across all competitions in 2021.  
• Loría tallied his third assist of the 2021 campaign.
• Mora scored his third goal of the regular season, and team leading fifth across all competitions.
• Mora’s goal was his fifth career game winner with the club, and second of this season.
• Blanco logged his first assist of the 2021 campaign.
• The win comes as the team’s first against LAFC since 2018 in MLS play.
• Fourteen different players have recorded an assist for Portland across all competitions.
• Five different players have scored multiple goals for the Timbers in the 2021 campaign.
• Valeri’s goal at 1:19 into the game is the fourth fastest in club history.
• George Fochive earned his first start of the 2021 campaign.
• Steve Clark logged a season high five saves.
• Van Rankin, Dairon Asprilla, and Diego Valeri are the only Timbers to appear in all 13 regular season matches in 2021.
• This season, 25 different players have earned a start for the Timbers.
• Overall, the Timbers are 92-34-45 in regular season play at Providence Park.

Next Game
Playing their third match in eight days, the Timbers travel to play Minnesota United FC on Saturday, July 24, at Allianz Field. The match kicks off at 5 p.m. (Pacific) and will feature a local broadcast on FOX 12 PLUS, with radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).
Video Highlights
Highlights of the match can be viewed by clicking here.

Portland Timbers (6-6-1, 19pts) vs. LAFC (6-5-3, 21pts)
July 21, 2021 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore

Goals by Half                1          2           FLAFC                            1          0           1
Portland Timbers          1          1           2

Scoring Summary: 
POR: Valeri (Van Rankin, Loría), 2
LAFC: Vela (Rossi, Segura), 17
POR: Mora (Blanco), 90+3
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Paredes (caution), 86

Lineups:
POR: GK Clark, D Bonilla (Bodily, 86), D Mabiala, D Tuiloma, D Van Rankin, M Fochive (Paredes, 67), M D. Chara ©, M Loría (Asprilla, 67), M Y. Chara (Blanco, 74), M Valeri, F Ebobisse (Mora, 74)Substitutes Not Used: GK Ivacic, GK Sulte, D McGraw, M Zambrano

TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Valeri, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Valeri, 2); FOULS: 12 (Asprilla, Ebobisse, 2); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 5

LAFC: GK Romero, D Segura, D Palacios (Edwards, 68), D Blackmon, D Farfan, D Kim (Baird, 68), M Blessing, M Ginella (Duke, 68), M Cifuentes, F Rossi, F Vela (Rodríguez, 79)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Sisniega, D Harvey, D Fall, D Quezada, M Atuesta

TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Rossi, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Rossi, 3); FOULS: 8 (Segura, 3); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 1

Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistant Referees: Corey Rockwell, Chris Elliott
Fourth Official: Ismir Pekmic
VAR: Alejandro Mariscal
Attendance: 23,500
Weather: Sunny, 75 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial