Portland Timbers earned a crucial 1-0 victory against Los Angeles FC in Week 22 of the MLS. Cristhian Paredes sealed the fate of the match in the 44th minute of the first half with a well-placed shot that left the LAFC’s defense scrambling.
Los Angeles FC had an opportunity to equalize late in the match when Kenneth Nielsen’s shot struck the post, leaving them frustrated as they couldn’t convert their chances into goals.
Paredes was undoubtedly the standout performer of the clash, showcasing his skills by not only netting the decisive goal but also attempting three shots on target throughout the game.
Defensively, Ian Smith’s performance was essential for the Timbers, as he provided stability and coverage against LAFC’s attacking threats.
LAFC’s head coach, Ante Razov, deployed a 4-3-3 formation, with Hugo Lloris in goal; a backline consisting of Ryan Hollingshead, Kenneth Nielsen, Nkosi Tafari, and Artem Smoliakov; a midfield trio of Igor Jesus, Mark Delgado, and Timothy Tillman; and an attacking front of Javairo Dilrosun, Nathan Ordaz, and Denis Bouanga.
On the other hand, Phil Neville’s Timbers lined up in a 5-3-2 formation featuring Maxime Crépeau between the posts; defenders Juan Mosquera, Finn Surman, Kamal Miller, Jimer Fory, and Ian Smith; midfielders Cristhian Paredes, David Ayala, and David da Costa; with Santiago Moreno and Felipe Mora leading the attack.
The match was officiated by Armando Villarreal at BMO Stadium.
Looking ahead, LAFC will host Toronto FC in their next fixture, while the Timbers will travel to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Los Angeles FC Substitutions
74’ 2T – Nathan Ordaz left for Jeremy Ebobisse
89’ 2T – Artem Smoliakov was replaced by Yaw Yeboah and Timothy Tillman by Frankie Amaya
Yellow Card for Los Angeles FC:
24’ 2T Nkosi Tafari (Unsporting behavior)
Portland Timbers Substitutions
73’ 2T – Santiago Moreno went off for Ariel Lassiter, Felipe Mora for Kevin Kelsy, Cristhian Paredes for Diego Chará, and Igor Jesus for David Martínez
84’ 2T – David da Costa substituted by Omir Fernández
87’ 2T – Juan Mosquera replaced by Eric Miller
Yellow Card for Portland Timbers:
19’ 2T Cristhian Paredes (Unsporting behavior)