(12) Portland Timbers (3,6,6, 15 points) vs (5) Los Angeles Galaxy (7,5,2, 23 points)
Saturday June 18, 2022, KO 2:00 PM PST/ 5:00 PM EST
Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California
Portland Timbers Briefly
This past international break hopefully brings some much-needed improvements for the Portland Timbers. Before the break, things weren’t going well for the Rose City side posting three consecutive losses.
In my last post in the loss against Miami, the Timbers were exposed to several weaknesses in both its offensive and defensive game leading to one disappointment to another with no relief in sight.
With the team just playing half the matches, as in 45 minutes of the 90, that doesn’t cut as comebacks aren’t repetitive.
If the Portland front office fought to bring the likes of Sebastian Blanco to stay, where are his contributions as the man is only on the bench with injuries and with no profile in the team’s overall game?
What is this team playing with no ideas, no pattern, movement of goal, or looking to dominate matches, and lacking an aerial game, no surprises, and most of all ambition?
I mean taking the initiative of controlling matches in their entirety, maybe we can see some improvements with this stoppage of league play and see a new team on the rise and finally playing some decent soccer.
For Giovanni Saverese, the goal is to rally his troops and inject some confidence in his group of veterans and rookies and uplift this team mentality into a winning one, not to be intimidated by the rival in turn and see that much-needed turnaround.
Everyone needs to be on the same page and give their 150% in the field and not see when the going gets tough by some means put your guard down but on the contrary, try to get back a rally and give up your best.
Can Portland see a benefit from this international break? One way to find out with a test of fire on the road against the LA Galaxy. My question is can the Timbers deliver some payback in Tinsel Town?
Probable Lineup:
GK Aljaz Ivacic, Josecarlos Van Rankin, Larrys Mabiala, Dario Zuparic, Justin Rasmussen; Diego Chara, Cristhian Paredes; Marvin Loria, Yimmi Chara, Sebastian Blanco; Nathan Fogaca
Photo courtesy of the LA Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy Briefly
For Greg Vanney, it’s now or never to get his team in contention until the end of the season and place them in positions towards the top of the table and maybe within contention of the always contested and disputed Supporters Shield.
So far, the team has delivered some notable wins against Austin FC playing good ball and looking forward in their second year to make it into the postseason.
The return of Chicharito Hernandez is providential for the Angelinos as they are currently looking to move up in the standings of the Western Conference. A healthy squad in this restart of the season will be elemental for the Angelino squad’s future successes.
With the current state of the Galacticos playing with its bench providing some depth, manager Vanney will look at any cost to repeat the result these delivered to the Portland Timbers in Carson.
Probable Lineup:
GK Jonathan Bond, Julian Araujo, Nick Depuy, Derrick Williams, Raheem Edwards; Rayan Raveloson, Marky Delgado; Kevin Cabral, Victor Vazquez, Samuel Grandsir; Chicharito Hernandez
Meetings
04/03/2022 Portland Timbers 1-3 LA Galaxy
10/16/2021 LA Galaxy 2-1 Portland Timbers
07/30/2021 LA Galaxy 4-1 Portland Timbers
Forecast
The Galaxy lately has had the upper edge over the Timbers, can Portland return the favor in Tinsel Town?
