LOS ANGELES — No team in Major League Soccer expects to score more than the Los Angeles Football Club.
This isn’t an observation about LAFC’s playing style under Coach Bob Bradley; it’s a statement of fact that jumps off the stat sheet when compared to the number of goals the team has actually produced – 39 compared to 54 in 2018, 78 the following year, and 47 last season – through 27 regular-season games.
On Wednesday night at Banc of California Stadium, LAFC again created plenty of chances, and, again, goals were hard to come by.
Because LAFC continues not to do what it sets itself up for – the club is No. 1 in the league with 1.83 expected goals per 90 minutes but entered the contest ranked ninth in actual goals with 38 – the team dropped three points to the Portland Timbers for the third time this year, losing, 2-1.
Goals from Portland midfielder Yimmi Chara to wrap the opening half, and Dairon Asprilla in the 59th minute were good enough to top LAFC for the second time in 11 days.
Danny Musovski finished his third goal of the season for LAFC (9-12-6, 33 points) in the 56th minute, briefly getting his side back in the match before Portland (13-10-4, 43 points) went ahead near the 1-hour mark.
“Man it’s been incredible how many hard moments we’ve had to deal with,” Bradley said.
Desperate to avoid a third consecutive loss as a playoff berth becomes more difficult to secure, LAFC fielded a team without a designated player (Brian Rodriguez’s hamstring issue lingers) and four players who weren’t on the roster at the start of August.
Goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and forward Michee Ngalina played their first minutes for LAFC, joining relative newcomers Sebastien Ibeagha and forward Cristian Arango in the starting 11.
Eduard Atuesta started for the first time since the Colombian mainstay was sidelined with an ankle injury during the club’s recent losses in Portland and San Jose. Atuesta’s calming presence was apparent through most of the opening half as new faces fit in well enough for LAFC to look sharp during several sequences.
But the streaking Timbers, unbeaten in their seven (6-0-1), abated LAFC’s pressure. Unlike LAFC, Portland made the most of its chances, finishing its lone shot on target in the opening half when Chara beat Blackman at the far post to send the home side back to its locker room down, 1-0.
“It’s unfortunate to give up the first goal,” said the 27-year-old Blackman, who relieved Tomas Romero after 18 consecutive starts. “I could have done better with the goal, but as a team, in the first half we did really well.”
Bradley made three changes at the break, including adding goal scorer Musovski, but Portland maintained its defensive shape and refused to allow LAFC to stretch its backline with 14 shots – four on target – throughout the match plus nine minutes of stoppage time.
Meanwhile, the Timbers’ two shots on goal were enough to leave Los Angeles with three more points.
“We look and we try different methods and we’re doing good but it doesn’t give,” LAFC defender Jesus Murillo said. “The opponent in this case gets two goals with less of an effort. That’s football. We must continue working hard every day and believe in our group.”
The game-winner came after Murillo allowed Portland’s leading scorer, Felipe Mora, to get behind him at midfield. Mora’s shot ricocheted off the post and bounced to Asprilla, who slammed a one-timed left-footed shot into the back of the net.
“Tonight, mistakes were not really mistakes from the group, but individuals,” said Murillo, who apologized to his teammates after the match.
“He took responsibility and it shows the character that he brings to the team,” Bradley said.
The Timbers improved to 12-1-1 on the year when scoring first, and kept LAFC winless (0-5-1) when trailing after 45 minutes.
The result was LAFC’s third loss at BCS in 14 matches here this year. During the club’s previous three seasons, LAFC lost a total of four times on its own pitch.
“The first thing I said is, ‘We’re not giving up,” Bradley told his team after the final whistle. “You guys are great guys. I see how much you put into it every day. I’m proud of you. But right now we’re going through a period that seems so unlikely and so incredible, but we’re not giving up.”
“I think we’ve all heard that quite loud,” Blackman said. “We’ve still got quite a lot of games left and a chance to make the playoffs.”
Following Wednesday’s slate of MLS action, LAFC sits in ninth place, four points behind seventh-place Minnesota, which has a game in hand over Bradley’s team.
LAFC will be in Carson on Sunday for what should be a tense “El Trafico” derby against the Galaxy (11-11-6, 38 points), which is in sixth place after losing to Real Salt Lake.
“We’ve got to pick ourselves up and be ready,” Bradley said.
https://twitter.com/LAFC/status/1443447840961748995?s=20
https://twitter.com/LAFC/status/1443424127050682368?s=20
"We know we have a lot of games left and an opportunity to make the playoffs. We just know we need to stick together."
🎙️Jamal Blackman#LAFC pic.twitter.com/N850PiPsmu
— LAFC (@LAFC) September 30, 2021
