Mateusz Bogusz scored his second and third goals of the season, but LAFC was forced to settle for a 2-2 draw at the 10-man Portland Timbers on Saturday afternoon.
Bogusz’s second goal came from a free kick immediately after Portland goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was sent off for taking down Denis Bouanga just fractionally outside the penalty area.
But with the score tied and the numerical advantage in their favor for another 39 minutes plus stoppage time, LAFC (3-3-2, 11 points) could not find a third goal and were forced to settle for their first away point of the season rather than a first away win.
Evander scored his fourth goal and added his second assist for Portland (2-3-3, 9 points), which earned a second consecutive draw but saw its winless run extend to five matches.
Felipe Mora also scored for the Timbers, who were the more dangerous side before going down a man but spent most of the second half defending their own end.
Bogusz’s first leveler came in the 22nd minute when he took Timothy Tillman’s entry pass, deftly turned his body to split two defenders and then drove a low finish past Crepeau and into the bottom right corner.
His second came moments after Crepeau’s dismissal, on a free kick from literally inches beyond the 18-yard box.
With the defensive wall favoring the left post, Bogusz curled a free kick perfectly above it and inside that post. Substitute goalkeeper James Pantemis, who had just entered the game, remained rooted to his spot.
Mora was credited with opening the scoring in the 11th minute when Evander sent in a wonderful diagonal ball toward the top of the six-yard box.
Mora stretched his leg toward the service as it bounced off the ground, may have made contact with the leg and then eventually nestled inside the left post. Whatever touch Mora did make was slight enough that it was hard to perceive via replays.
Evander was much more definitive with his finish to make it 2-1 in the 34th minute when he chested down Juan Mosquera’s chipped pass just inside the penalty spot and then hammered a volley over goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’s head from close range.
–Field Level Media
