LA Galaxy v Portland Timbers: Neville calls for composure

Phil Neville hailed his side’s intensity in their 3-3 draw with Los Angeles FC last weekend, though the Portland Timbers head coach called for more composure on the ball.

Felipe Mora broke the deadlock in the eighth minute, scoring the first of his two goals on the night, while Santiago Moreno doubled the advantage before the break.

Olivier Giroud and David Martinez pulled two goals back for LAFC in quick time in the second half, setting up a tight finish.

Mora put the Timbers ahead in the 66th minute, two minutes after Martinez had levelled the scoring, but it wasn’t to be for Neville’s side as Denis Bouanga slotted home a 90th minute penalty to salvage a point at Providence Park.

Despite being disappointed with the result, Neville was proud of the statement that this match made for MLS football.

“It was a high-level, brilliant game of football,” Neville said of the 3-3 draw.

“I think both sets of players should be incredibly proud of that performance. That is, from a pure player's point of view, that was an incredible advert for MLS football.”

Reflecting on his team’s performance, he rued a lack of composure at times.

“And we forgot in our defensive unit; we forgot then to play football and get composure on the ball. I felt all night that we just weren't at our absolute best composure-wise,” he said.

“It's a big game. It's a high-level game. The intensity was ferocious. Everyone on the pitch was an athlete, and you just needed that little bit of composure on the ball in the moments.

“I just felt in the second half, even in the first half, we were a little bit rushed and excitable. But that’s what you get with young players. That’s what you get when you’re building a young team.”

The LA Galaxy, meanwhile, are suffering a horror start to the season, having narrowly lost out to Austin FC last weekend.

Brandon Vazquez netted late on to pave the way for Austin to take all three points as the defending MLS Cup champions succumbed to their sixth loss of the season.

Greg Vanney’s side are yet to taste victory this term, making them only one of two teams (along with CF Montreal) to go winless after nine matches. It is also the first time in MLS history that a defending champion has failed to win any of their first nine matches of a season.

The Galaxy currently sit in 15th place in the Western Conference standings with just three points to their name.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec

Gabriel Pec has scored just one goal in MLS play this season, though he has been one of LA Galaxy’s pivotal players in attack.

In their 1-0 loss to Austin, Pec took a game-high seven shots, three of them on target, at an individual xG of 0.58. The forward had nine touches inside the box and created one big chance. If LA Galaxy’s fortunes are to change, Pec’s dynamism will be crucial.

Portland Timbers – Felipe Mora

Felipe Mora, who scored a brace on Saturday against LAFC, has scored eight goals in 11 career regular-season matches against LA Galaxy – three more than he has managed against any other opponent.

Mora has found the back of the net in each of his last two games against the LA Galaxy, including their 1-1 draw on March 16.

MATCH PREDICTION: LA GALAXY WIN

Despite their poor run of form, the Galaxy are pegged as slight favourites for Sunday’s clash. They have lost only one of their last nine meetings with Portland (W4 D4), though four of the last six games have ended in draws (one win each).

The Galaxy are unbeaten in five straight at home against Portland (W3 D2), dating back to 2021, and will be expected to make home advantage count in what should be an entertaining matchup.

Portland, though, come into the game with some good form under their belt. With their 3-3 draw against LAFC last weekend, the Timbers stretched their unbeaten run to six games (W3 D3).

They have scored at least three times in four of their last five matches, with their 13 goals over this span the most by any MLS team since matchday five.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

LA Galaxy – 44.5%

Draw – 26.9%

Portland Timbers – 28.6%