Portland Timbers-LAFC Preview (4/11/26)

On July 25, 2025, the Portland Timbers defeated LAFC 1-0 at BMO Stadium. Since that day, Portland has only tasted victory in 4 games. Two of those were home games against Eastern Conference opponents (New York Red Bulls and Columbus). Only one of those was an outright win against a Western Conference team (RSL in the Wild Card Game). Game 2 of the First Round playoff series against San Diego could technically be classified as a victory, but the score was deadlocked after full time and a penalty kick shootout had to push the Timbers over the line. 

So, technically, that’s only 3 traditional wins and 1 shootout victory. Now the Timbers must prepare themselves to face the last Western Conference opponent they’ve beaten in the regular season. And when Portland and LAFC meet, it’s rarely boring.

The LAFC Report

That 1-0 victory last July could’ve been boring if only the scoreline was taken into account. But a Maxime Crepeau masterclass in goal combined with an outstandingly cohesive defensive performance caused LAFC to be shut out at home for only the third time during 2025. Cristhian Paredes scored from a corner kick right before halftime, and that goal was enough for the visitors to take all three points. But the LAFC squad that fell to those Timbers is completely different now, and one player has significantly raised their floor.

Fresh off winning the Europa League with Tottenham Hotspur, Son Heung-Min arrived at LAFC in August as MLS’ record incoming transfer. He wasn’t able to feature in LAFC’s Leagues Cup games (two penalty shootout wins against Mazatlan and Pachuca and a traditional victory against Tigres) but hit the ground running in league play. The arrival of Son allowed Denis Bouanga to reach another level. Son made his debut on August 9th in Chicago, and LAFC played 12 league games after Leagues Cup. Bouanga and Son combined for 23 goal involvements out of the 42 goal involvements that LAFC players recorded during that stretch. LAFC scored 26 goals in those 12 games, and the Bouanga-Son duo scored 20 of those goals. That’s not even the craziest stat from this small sample size. Over a period of 7 games, Bouanga and Son scored 18 goals, which constituted all of LAFC’s goals during that timeframe. They were unstoppable, and so was the Black-and-Gold. LAFC went 7-3-2 after Leagues Cup, and entered the playoffs as the 3rd seed. 

A first-round matchup with Austin awaited, which was the only Western Conference team besides San Diego to do the double over them during the regular season. The Broccolis accomplished this by playing cowardly soccer against a LAFC team that was also trying to play cowardly soccer. Both regular season matchups were utter snooze-fests, with 1-0 Austin victories at the end. In the playoffs, LAFC took Game 1 in a relatively uneventful 2-1 win punctuated by a Nathan Ordaz winner in the 79th minute. Game 2 was a routine 4-1 LAFC victory spearheaded by 3 first-half goals (2 Bouanga, 1 Son) and a Jeremy Ebobisse dagger in the 3rd minute of second-half stoppage time. Austin’s Myrto Uzuni missed a crucial penalty in the 39th minute when the game was 2-0, but Austin’s defeat was pretty routine otherwise. That set up a Conference Semifinals clash in Vancouver.

For the Whitecaps, this was an opportunity to vanquish their playoff tormentors. For LAFC, it was a chance to beat Vancouver when it mattered most after failing to find a victory in both of their regular-season matchups. The Whitecaps took a 2-0 lead into halftime, but Son scored in the 60th minute to halve LAFC’s deficit. Tristan Blackmon was sent off in the 3rd minute of second-half stoppage time with his second yellow card, and Son scored a spectacular free kick to send the game into extra time with a man advantage. Vancouver went down to 9 men after Belal Halbouni tore his ACL in the 110th minute without any additional subs available for Jesper Sorensen. LAFC piled on the pressure, but couldn’t find a goal after several hilariously close calls. The highlight of which was a triple post, coming from a deflected David Martinez shot onto the crossbar before Bouanga hit the post and crossbar in consecutive attempts. If you can’t win a game due to a double post, you absolutely have zero chance of victory after a triple post. A fourth post was added when Son’s opening penalty hit the right woodwork, and Mark Delgado sent his spot-kick into the stands. Hugo Lloris was able to stop Edier Ocampo’s attempt, which put all the pressure on Mathias Laborda to score his kick or enter sudden death. The Uruguayan’s penalty found the top right corner, and Vancouver was able to advance in an instant classic playoff game. LAFC’s season was over.

That was also the final game in Steve Cherundolo’s LAFC career. The head coach brought a MLS Cup, a Supporter’s Shield, and an Open Cup to LAFC’s trophy cabinet over his four years in charge of the club. However, the Black-and-Gold had other opportunities for silverware during this time and came up short instead. In 2023, they lost the CCL Final to Leon, the Campeones Cup to Tigres (not a major trophy but a trophy nonetheless), and MLS Cup to Columbus. 2024 brought another major loss in a final to Columbus in Leagues Cup. Last year, they defeated Club America in a one-game playoff to book a ticket in the first expanded Club World Cup. Cherundolo’s decision to step down was personal (he wanted to move back to Germany with his family) so his replacement would have big shoes to fill. LAFC begins every season as a trophy contender regardless of how their roster looks. In terms of expectations, they’re the biggest club in the Western Conference. So how did their offseason go?

The first step was hiring a new head coach. While fans were begging for a big name, GM John Thorrington (one of the best general managers in the league) decided to promote from within. Marc Dos Santos, one of Cherundolo’s assistants, was given the keys to the nicest car in the Western Conference. The Canadian manager was Vancouver’s head coach during 2019 and 2020, but got fired in 2021 after losing to Pacific FC in the Canadian Championship. Cherundolo hired him as an assistant ahead of the 2022 season. The disparities between Vancouver and LAFC’s resources aside, it did seem odd that the Black-and-Gold would make such a (relatively) underwhelming hire from Cherundolo’s coaching staff. Many LAFC fans (who have been spoiled beyond belief since they switched their loyalties from the Galaxy in 2018) were actively displeased with Cherundolo during the latter years of his tenure, so this hire was seen as controversial within the fanbase.

In typical LAFC fashion, they spent the winter window filling out the roster while waiting until the summer to make a big move. Opting for the 2/4 model with Son and Bouanga as the lone DPs, U22 midfielder Amin Boudri was added from GAIS in Sweden. Two MLS veterans joined (Jacob Shaffelburg via a trade with Nashville and Tyler Boyd from waivers) and Mathieu Choiniere was bought from Grasshopper after a successful loan last season. Midfielder Stephen Eustaquio became the headline acquisition after the club acquired him on loan from FC Porto, with the loan set to expire in the summer.

No notable outgoings followed, aside from goalkeeper David Ochoa (option declined). Three loans expired (Odin Thiago Holm, Frankie Amaya, and Andrew Moran) while Luca Bombino was traded to San Diego. LAFC entered 2026 with another quality squad and the opportunity to make a big move in the summer.

Son and Bouanga’s goalscoring exploits stole the headlines in the back half of the 2025 season. But LAFC’s (5-1-0, 16 points, 1W/1S) blistering start to 2026 has been defined by the other side of the pitch.

Through their first 6 league games of the season, LAFC hasn’t conceded a single goal. They currently hold the MLS record for longest shutout streak to start a season. Their backline is good, but not “6-game shutout streak” good. Sure, they’ve only conceded 5.6 xG so far (4th-lowest in the league) but variance dictates that they should have allowed a goal by now. However, it is a World Cup year, and Hugo Lloris is trying his hardest to make the France squad (this will not happen, but God bless him for trying). Per Fotmob, Lloris leads the league in “goals prevented” (another name for post-shot xG differential [RIP FBRef]) with 4.2. That’s almost a full expected goal more than the current second-placed goalkeeper (Seattle’s Andrew Thomas, they can’t keep getting away with it). Lloris has been nothing short of sensational this year, saving every one of the 22 shots that opponents have been able to aim at LAFC’s goal. That number isn’t very high (tied for 5th-lowest in the league alongside Chicago). But LAFC has been able to stay defensively stout while Lloris takes care of the rest. 

The Black-and-Gold began the season with a 3-0 destruction of Inter Miami, accomplished as the Herons tried to figure out the new identity of their team following a supposedly transformational offseason. Then a trip to Houston followed, and LAFC found themselves on the right side of two red cards in a 2-0 victory. Dallas brought the game to them one week later, but a David Martinez wondergoal provided the difference for the Black-and-Gold to taste a 3rd straight shutout victory (1-0). Their toughest defensive test of the season came against St. Louis; giving up 18 shots (only 4 on target). Variance once again prevailed as Choiniere fired in two goals from outside the box to give LAFC a 2-0 win.

Now the shutout record was in reach, but they had to bypass bogey side Austin FC first. Before we get to that game, let’s acknowledge the other aspect of LAFC’s season: another appearance in the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup. Their CCC journey began in February with a 7-1 aggregate thumping of Honduras’ Real Espana in the First Round. Between Dallas and St. Louis, Costa Rica’s LD Alajuelense faced them in the Round of 16. After drawing 1-1 in California during the first leg, they came back from an early 1-0 deficit in the second leg courtesy of a Martinez late winner. Their spot in the quarterfinals was booked, but now they had to face Austin. 

This game ended 0-0, but a controversial refereeing decision loomed over the result. In the 63rd minute, Uzuni found the back of the net on a volley from an excellent Facundo Torres corner kick delivery. With mere minutes to go before the shutout streak was broken, it appeared that LAFC had failed in their quest to reset the record book. That was until VAR got involved.

LAFC has a habit of getting on the right side of refereeing decisions. Earlier this year in the Houston game, Antonio Carlos was shown a red card for tackling Son from behind and landing on his Achilles. While I do believe that the tackle was red-card worthy, I highly doubt that every team (or player, in this instance) would get the benefit of the doubt and draw a straight red from this challenge. Kamal Miller’s red card against the Galaxy was a similar foul, but it was only upgraded to red upon review. I don’t need to remind y’all of the process that led to Bouanga’s penalty kick equalizer in this Portland-LAFC fixture last year either. Two whole minutes passed before the referee went to the monitor in that game. Surely not “clear and obvious” enough.

Now we return to this Austin game, with Uzuni celebrating in front of a packed supporters’ section. The VAR official is checking this play, as is the procedure for every goal. Something is spotted in the box: a potential offside and, by extension, interference. 

This goal is going to get overturned because Ilie Sanchez (the guy who makes smart choices) is judged to be offside. However, I don’t believe that this still image (and all of the other angles involved) can show a “clear and obvious” angle of Sanchez being offside. That’s what VAR is supposed to prove here. I view this as “inconclusive” because there isn’t a clear picture of Sanchez’s right foot, which could very well be onside. None of the angles from behind the goal provide a clear picture of where Sanchez is when the ball is struck. If there isn’t a “clear and obvious” angle that can conclusively show Sanchez being offside, then this goal should stand. It doesn’t. This is the biggest problem with VAR. The “clear and obvious” threshold gets ignored on a consistent basis. A play like this is why it largely detracts from the soccer viewing experience. 

As stated before, LAFC would hang on for a 0-0 tie (most notably because Son couldn’t finish a breakaway chance before Brendan Hines-Ike slid in to make a last-ditch tackle in the 86th minute). But LAFC entered the international break with a 4-1-0 record and 5 straight clean sheets.

That clean sheet streak was extended to 6 games after Orlando came to town last weekend. Bouanga scored a hat trick before the half-hour mark in a 6-0 romp. LAFC’s defensive prowess was largely able to cover for Bouanga and Son’s slow start to the season. Prior to Orlando, Bouanga had 1g/1a in 5 MLS games. He finished with 4g/1a in 6 games. Son’s start, in the eyes of LAFC fans, was much more concerning. He entered the Orlando game with 0g/2a in 5 league games, but tallied 4 assists against the Lions to take his tally to a misleading 0g/6a in 6 games. Those counting stats look a lot better now, but LAFC’s excellent start has not been buoyed by their superstar duo. However, Son was able to find the back of the net in their CCC quarterfinal against Cruz Azul on Tuesday. The reigning CCC champions will have to overturn a 3-0 deficit in next week’s home second leg.

LAFC has largely kept the same starting lineup throughout the majority of the season. Bouanga and Son haven’t been rotated in CONCACAF, while the clear first-choice backline has barely gotten a rest. From Dos Santos’ perspective, why tinker with excellence? LAFC has outscored all of their opponents 27-3 across 11 games in 2026. Some have worried about this extensive workload, but it’s hard to disagree with the results.

LAFC Injury Report & Projected Starting XI

Jesus and Long are dealing with long-term injuries (ACL and Achilles, respectively). Eustaquio got hurt after the Dallas game on March 7th and hasn’t played since. He’s expected to return later this month. Boudri was not in the squad against Cruz Azul.

Much has been made of Dos Santos’ unwillingness to rotate. With a 3-0 lead heading into the second leg against Cruz Azul and a playing style suited to protecting leads, I highly doubt that too much rotation is in order for the Black-and-Gold. Segura has surpassed Hollingshead in the pecking order at left back. Tafari and Porteous have formed a very solid partnership in the center of the backline. Palencia is a defense-first right back, and is known to push the boundary between aggression and dirty play. Tillman and Delgado are an excellent midfield tandem. Martinez has finally found a way to be consistently productive after two underwhelming seasons. Bouanga and Son speak for themselves. Ordaz has found himself as Son’s running mate in the front line. All of their attackers are elite on the counterattack, and their defense has been impenetrable in league play.

The Timbers Report

While LAFC’s start to the season has been marked by defensive excellence, the Portland Timbers (1-1-4, 4 points, 14W/26S) haven’t kept a clean sheet since August 23rd in San Diego. That’s a stretch of 18 games without a shutout. The attack hasn’t been able to score enough to overcome the leaky defense either (Portland have only tallied multiple goals in a game 7 times over this period). That’s because the Timbers have combined to make the all-encompassing cake of fatal flaws: they allow too many teams to get into their box while utterly failing to break into the opposition box.

Through 6 games, the Timbers have allowed 245 touches in their own box. That’s the worst tally in the league by far; 21 touches more than Austin. They’ve also allowed the most shots and the 2nd-most shots on target, but those stats do not directly correlate to box penetration. On the opposite side of the ball, they’ve only recorded 102 touches in the opposition box this year. That’s 3rd-lowest in the league, and only 4 ahead of Austin (who are very clearly a low block-and-counter outfit). Together, they’ve formed a box tilt ratio (attacking touches/touches allowed) of 0.41. For reference, Austin’s is 0.43. For further reference, LAFC’s is 1.06. 

This is a serious problem for the Timbers, and it’s one of the reasons why I’ve been hammering box tilt throughout this season. Let’s look at a quick excerpt from my season preview and see how well it’s aged. I like to go back and take a look at some of my previously published articles from time to time. Just this week, I re-read the monster experiment I published about finding a replacement for David Ayala. I completely forgot that I put Jose Caicedo on the shortlist. Giving myself a hefty pat on the back for that one.

Another pat on the back might be needed. Aside from not sticking to my promise of keeping a touches-to-shots ratio (I’ll have those numbers for you shortly) it’s pretty clear that both box touch statistics paint a very clear picture about this team: weak in attack and unstable in defense. You don’t even need to watch this team play. Just point to the data.

Watching this team play, however, does lead to some encouraging moments. But none of those moments are worth noticing if the team continues to fail in both boxes. I asked Phil Neville about this on Thursday, and this is how he responded:

“They’re a team that’s not conceded any goals this season and they don’t give away many chances. In terms of our attacking play, we’re going to have to be really, really good in our attacking play, our attacking movements, our attacking control. I think whenever you play against LAFC or a team like LAFC with the qualities that they’ve got, I think you’re [they’re] always at your [their] most dangerous when you’ve got possession of the ball because that’s when they can spring on the counterattack. You saw against Cruz Azul in the midweek is that Cruz Azul was probably in control of the game in terms of possession and then they find themselves 2-0 down. And that’s what they can do because they’ve got such special players in the front three. So what I’d say is it’s more about what we do, how we control the game, our qualities on the ball. Both LA teams create an incredible atmosphere at Providence Park. And I think what you’ve seen over the last 2-3 years since I came here is that there’s always incredible performances from the attacking players on the field. I think last year was 3-3? I watched the game last night. It was an incredible game of football in terms of high-level attacking play, high-level intensity, and I think that the game on Saturday will be no different. They’re a quality team. But I honestly believe that we’re equally just as good. We’ve got equally just as good as players now we need to deliver.”

There’s a lot to unpack here, but I did ask about winning the battle in both boxes. Per the helpful “find and replace” tool in Google Docs, Neville didn’t even mention the word “box” during that entire answer. I tried. At least I tried. I don’t feel the need to delve into the last part either. 

Portland’s success in this game will be dictated by their success in each box (like every game this year). But the Timbers’ future is also worth considering, especially after Ned Grabavoy spoke to reporters on Tuesday for his usual post-transfer window press conference.

The Grabavoy Report

I’ll be honest. I’m a little confused why this hasn’t been published yet on the team’s YouTube page. More room for me to pontificate (some might say bloviate) on the general manager’s thoughts. 

Let’s begin with the first question, asked by yours truly. I’ve noticed a trend in Portland’s squad building over the past few seasons and I wanted to wonder what the endgame is. Since Grabavoy took over ahead of the 2023 season, Portland’s signings have focused heavily on players that can be classified as “young” (between the ages of 18 and 23) with their DPs in the “peak age” (24-29) bracket and other additions (most notably Jonathan Rodriguez) in the “experienced” (30+) tier. For example, the winter additions are headlined by 3 23-year-olds, a 24-year-old, and one 30-year-old (draft picks do not count). While the Timbers have spent a ton of time stockpiling talent, I’m wondering what the long-term vision is with the roster.

In a rather “duh” moment, I’d like to remind you that the Timbers are obviously trying to build a squad that can compete now and continue to improve. Let’s take a look at their first-choice starting lineup with their current ages acting as their jersey numbers.

When Neville refers to this squad as a “young team,” he isn’t lying. The majority of this squad hasn’t crossed into the “peak age” threshold I defined earlier, including the entirety of the first-choice backline. This is a team that, in theory, is built for now and into the future. But my big question revolves around how this squad-building principle will dictate the outgoing transfer policy.

Grabavoy said that the club turned down “2 offers for 2 very good young players” over the offseason. But he followed up that quote with this: “But, like I said, we want to win as well. Those players were a necessity for us to keep and to have to go into the season with the strongest group possible as well. Obviously, as we go into future transfer windows, I think that’s always going to be a topic of conversation for us. We’ve had a number of clubs across the world continue to show interest in a number of our players.”

I can confirm that one of those offers was for Surman (the exact size and offering club is unknown). Y’all can speculate about the second offer to your heart’s content. But it does bring up an interesting trend for the Timbers since Grabavoy took over. Are they making the right decisions when it comes to player sales or are they waiting for situations to become untenable?

This does not apply to Evander. Portland was intent on keeping him as the team’s centerpiece. But it does apply to Santiago Moreno. I began to make the case for a Moreno sale after the 2024 season with his stock reaching the sky following a 6g/9a campaign (14 assists if you count secondary). However, the club only received a loan offer from Atlas with a purchase option. The offers received obviously affect whether or not a player could be sold, but Moreno went on to force his way out after the club didn’t seem too keen on letting him go. Yes, their valuation needed to be met, but it’s an intriguing trend further illustrated by two midseason offers the club fielded in recent years.

Let’s begin with the $2.2M offer from an unnamed Brazilian club for Cristhian Paredes back in 2023. Grabavoy’s logic for turning down the move revolved around how he was one of only two healthy central midfielders on the roster (Noel Caliskan, per my recollection, hadn’t signed a first-team contract yet) and finding a replacement would be hard. When a team is perpetually trying to compete, it can be hard to recognize when a re-tooling is necessary. Paredes would end up leaving in 2025 after his contract expired. The Timbers missed the playoffs in 2023. 

Antony was the subject of an offer of unknown size from an unknown club last season. At the time the offer was received, the Timbers were firmly in a playoff position. This offer would’ve constituted one of the club’s record sales (not much to really say about that when Evander and Moreno are the only players that have moved on for significant fees in return). Once again, the club rejected the offer and opted to keep the Brazilian winger. Maybe the other winter offer was for Antony too.

It’s hard to play “couch GM” without every bit of knowledge in front of me, but I would have accepted both offers given the facts I am aware of. Part of running a soccer club is understanding when making a deal that’s right for the club does involve making a sale when the right moment arrives. That’s my main concern with the way this roster is constructed. I’m worried that the club still isn’t able to recognize when they should or shouldn’t agree to a player sale. Especially with the way that MLS has been able to establish itself as a “selling league.” It isn’t the age of Valeris and Charas anymore. Expecting this entire core to be around for several consecutive seasons is a fool’s errand.

That’s where the worry for this exact squad comes into play. The DPs will be a part of the future core. But plenty of the non-DPs (most notably Surman, Fory, Mosquera and Antony) will be looked at by foreign clubs. Right now, the roster is built to contend in 2026 and through the first full season of the calendar switch (2027/28). It’s highly likely that there are more moves on the horizon, but in order for some of those moves to be fully executed some of these players will have to be sold. That’s just how the business works.

This is how Grabavoy responded to my question: “We’ve added obviously a number of young players over the last, you know, not just 2 or 3 seasons, but going back to 5 years ago. In adding those young players, it’s still very much a part of our DNA that when we add those young players, we are in the belief that they can help us win right now. Of course, we want them to grow and to develop with the club. But when you look at a number of the young players that we’ve brought in over the last 3-4-5 seasons plus, it’s always with the thought process to help us win now. I think those young players have grown with the club as they’ve been here and played bigger and bigger roles. But at the same time, we’re relying on all the young players throughout the roster, including young ones, to help us win right now as well.”

This squad is not set up for a rebuild. It’s under a constant state of re-tooling. MLS does afford teams the option to do a complete rebuild (look at SKC) but the unique structure of the league incentivizes every team to build a squad that can contend every year. With the close of this transfer window, Grabavoy and Neville have built THEIR squad. These are the players that have become the core of this team. That first-choice lineup is theirs. Now it’s on Neville to develop the squad into a cohesive unit and for the players to perform.

But as the looming deadline of Neville’s contract expiration looms over the squad (amidst the poor start to the season) it’s worth wondering where Grabavoy’s head is at concerning the head coaching position. I specifically asked him about his confidence in Neville, and here’s how Grabavoy responded:

“No it hasn’t. But look, you know, despite the injuries, despite some of the questionable and bad calls that I think we’ve had over the last couple of weeks that have put us in a difficult decision. We have not met expectations and standards for where we want to be and the position that we want to and need to be in the table. The coaching staff is aware of that, players are aware of that, ultimately it’s my job to continue to support and be committed to them. And I want to give them the opportunity through the first 14 games, you know, to really have the full group together as well. And correct and find the answers and solutions that we need to, like I said, to better position ourselves in the table, to get results, to pick up points. Those things need to happen. Everything, everyone is being assessed. Everyone is being monitored. We’ll continue to do that. We’ll have time to make decisions if we need to but, you know, we’ll evaluate those things when we get through this first 14-game stretch. I think that’s fair to the group. Certainly hasn’t been for lack of commitment or effort from players or for staff. You know, I’m actually very content with the group and the amount of work that they’ve put into it. And players have continued to stay on board.”

This is the first time that Grabavoy hasn’t immediately parroted that he has full confidence in Neville. But it also lays out a clear timeline for a potential head coaching move. If the results on the field continue to be disastrous, a coaching change could come (at the earliest) during the World Cup break. I think it’s a fair timeline to have, and the majority of the season will be played after the World Cup. However, the emphasis on winning games, tallying points, and climbing the table shouldn’t be lost on anyone. Neither is the assertion that Grabavoy is waiting for the whole squad to play together before a decision is made. Having said that, what does the injury report look like?

PTFC Injury Report & Projected Starting XI

Mosquera has picked up a different injury and has been ruled out for tomorrow’s game. His previous ailment concerned his ankle, not his knee. Cole Bassett is not listed and should be available for selection.

Aside from the injured Mosquera, this is Portland’s first-choice XI. Bye replaces the Colombian at right back, while Bassett should be able to slot alongside Caicedo. This is very unlucky for Joao Ortiz, but he should be one of the first names off the bench. The front line from the past two games should remain the same. 

Caicedo was finally able to make his debut, and now he gets to play in front of the home fans for the first time. “I have a feeling that once I do, it’ll be unforgettable,” the Colombian midfielder said on Tuesday regarding his home debut. “And I’ll be happy, first of all, just to be able to be there and make my debut at home. But we want to get the win.”

Diego Chara celebrated his 40th birthday this weekend, and he gifted himself a spot in the MLS record book. With his booking against Vancouver, he surpassed Kyle Beckerman for the top spot in MLS’ all-time yellow card list. On Tuesday, I asked him what that record meant to him. “You can see it meant a lot, you know, always talking from my position. Breaking records is great. It’s not the best record in football, but I’ll take it.”

Few players wear the yellow card like a badge of honor like Diego Chara. As he prepares for his first game as a 40-year-old, he’ll have a birthday celebration in his honor outside. But like the rest of the team, he’s focused on winning.

Tactical Preview

The Space Behind

The winner of this game will be decided by how well each team exploits the space left behind by the opposing backline. Many expect Bouanga, Son and company to run ragged through Portland’s defense. However, Finn Surman spent 180 minutes neutralizing the speedy Gabonese winger last season. The bigger concern is closing down any space opened up by LAFC’s fleet attackers. 

That problem can also be solved by the Timbers taking better care of the ball. With 10/11 first-choice starters (likely) on the pitch, simple possession can be Portland’s best friend in this game. If they keep the ball, and maintain structure while doing so, they’ll be able to minimize the threat of a turnover. 

But how can the Timbers break LAFC’s vaunted defense? The answer is simple: shoot the ball. Portland should not be trying to work the ball into the box. Rather, they should be trying to shoot at any opportunity and try to pounce on the rebound. They do not need to be playing pretty soccer right now. They simply need to create their own luck to score goals. 

This will be another game that should test Portland’s low block. If there’s no space in behind, there’s no way for the opposition to counter into that space. The transition between possession and defense will be crucial to watch. Set pieces too. Every single aspect of Portland’s play will be tested in this game. I don’t think there’s an area where they have an advantage against LAFC.

Intensity

In order to cover for the talent deficit, Portland has to win the intensity battle. This includes winning challenges, covering that extra blade of grass, and solidifying themselves as tough to break down. These are all “mentality” notes. Mentality will be very important in this game, as it is in every game. That’s just the facts. 

Matchday Info

Broadcast Bulletin

English: Max Bretos & Brian Dunseth

Spanish: Pablo Ramirez & Jesus Bracamontes

Home Radio Broadcast from 105.1 The Fan: available on Apple TV

Broadcast platform: FOX & Apple TV

Kickoff time: 1:30 (1:45) PM PST

Referee Report

Armando Villareal’s 2026 stats: 3 games, 28.67 fouls/game, 0 penalties/game, 3.67 yellows/game, 0 reds/game

Last Timbers match officiated: July 25, 2025 @LAFC 1-0 W

It’s pretty interesting to have Villareal in charge for another Portland-LAFC game. I thought he was very good during the July fixture. Prior to that game, Neville (always the most complimentary of the officiating crew) said the following: “I think when you play against LAFC, particularly in LA, you need a strong referee. They get a lot of penalty kicks, a lot of decisions going their way, so I think that’s a really important detail.” 

No complaints could be volleyed Villareal’s way after that performance. While we’re on the subject of Neville’s complimentary nature towards referees, I’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate Chris Penso, who will be the VAR official for this game. 

Series History

Historical record: 7-7-7, -3 goal differential

Home record: 4-3-2, +3 goal differential

Current streak: 2 unbeaten

Current home streak: 3 unbeaten

Table Time

The Timbers cannot jump into a playoff place with a victory tomorrow. At most, they could climb as high as 10th. One win against LAFC isn’t going to solve everything, but it would be a very valuable three points for a team that desperately needs them.

Final Whistle

But “desperation” is not the mindset of the team ahead of this game. Neville wants to preach the opposite of that. “They want to win even more than the fans do—more than anyone else right now. I saw it in their eyes after the match [in Vancouver]—not frustration, exactly. It was disappointment. Deep disappointment. It was... it was almost like... like my son. My son, when he was little, he had desperation. A desperation to win. Sometimes you won’t win with that kind of feeling—that desperation—you actually fail to win. Because desperation isn’t good for a team. When you have a very young squad—that desperation to impress, to win, to make things happen—it’s normal. So, my message this week is simply: ‘Stay calm.’”

This quote, translated from Spanish, helpfully illustrates what Neville is asking of his players ahead of this game. But will this team heed their head coach’s words?

“Calm” is being substituted for “confident” in this instance. It’s hard to be confident after allowing two late winners in two out of their last three games. But they should be able to return to the friendly confines of Providence Park for a must-win fixture. And yes, it is a must-win. With three consecutive road games on the docket, they have to get three points in this game for the sake of their own confidence. 

But it’s very hard to be hopeful about that possibility given the opponent and the recent stretch of results. It’s very hard to be optimistic about a lot of aspects concerning this team right now. However, I must tell all of you one thing: if you can, go to this game. It’s not my job to sell you on that, but I do have a reason that’s driving my thought process.

It’s the 100th anniversary of Providence Park this year, and countless footballing legends have walked through this door. Pele, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the list goes on and on. However, the gravity that Son Heung-Min has will exceed all of them from an attendance standpoint. There’s a high probability that the majority of fans in the building will not be cheering for Portland tomorrow. They’ll be rooting for Son and LAFC instead.

This is nothing new. Son has brought fans in other cities to other stadiums throughout his brief time in Major League Soccer. This phenomenon is also present with Lionel Messi, who has essentially become an attendance booster at every stadium he’s played at. It’s the real consequence of Messificiation. I wasn’t born when Pele visited Providence Park. It’s probably a similar story to what Messi and Son have seen on every road trip. But I do have a high standard for the Timbers, and that standard remains for the fans. Beckham, Henry, Ibrahimovic, even Chicharito stepped onto the field at Providence Park and didn’t get the applause of the home crowd. Don’t let Son (and LAFC by extension) steal the noise that has filled this stadium for 100 years. 

These Timbers need the support of the home fans, regardless of what those fans might think of their head coach. It’s set to be a perfect spring day in Portland tomorrow: overcast clouds, upper 50s, and the potential for a bit of sun or rain. If you don’t want to cheer for the head coach, that’s fine. But these players are desperate for the cheers of the crowd. Don’t let the former Tottenham player receive the warmest reception of the night.

That might seem a little tone-deaf given the skyrocketing costs associated with attending a Timbers game, but I would like to remind you that I included the phrase "if you can." It's hard to get jazzed up for this fixture. But these players deserve a wall of encouraging noise, not their home stadium to turn into a deafening roar of cheers for the opposition.

Any kind of result is needed, but three points will be a most welcome sight. Both teams are carrying some form of pressure: LAFC with their shutout streak and the Timbers with the run of poor results. It’s the only home game that the Timbers will play in the month of April, and they have to make the most of it. The climb continues.