Denis Bouanga scores in stoppage time to lift LAFC over Portland
Denis Bouanga scored in the second minute of stoppage time, Timothy Tillman added a goal and LAFC beat the Portland Timbers 3-2 Saturday night at BMO Stadium.
Kei Kamara’s header off a corner kick was swatted away by goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau but skipped out to the left side of the area where a charging Bouanga scored on a one-touch shot that ricocheted off the back post and into the net.
Diego Chara made his 377th regular season appearance for the Timbers, an MLS record with a single club but was shown yellow cards in the 72nd and 76th minutes, with Portland playing a man down after the latter. The 38-year-old defensive midfielder surpassed Chris Wondolowski, who played in 376 regular-season matches for the San Jose Earthquakes.
The teams tied 2-2 in Portland on April 13. The Timbers played a man down after Crépeau — who signed with the club in January following two seasons with LAFC — was shown a red card in the 48th minute.
Former Galaxy midfielder Eddie Lewis has built a post-career business with TOCA Football, a technology-based training platform growing in popularity.
LAFC (4-3-3) took a 1-0 lead on a own goal by Portland defender Kamal Miller in the 44th minute. Miller slid and knocked the ball into the net while trying to intercept a cross played by Bouanga to Cristian Olivera at the back post. Tillman scored just before halftime to make it 2-0. Olivera, on the right side, dropped a pass to a charging Tillman, just outside the area, who ripped a one-touch shot that bounced off the back post into the net in stoppage time to give Los Angeles a 2-0 halftime lead. The 25-year-old Tillman has four goals this season, matching his rookie-season total in 2023.
LAFC had 55% possession and outshot the Timbers 20-10, 10-5 on target.
Jonathan Rodríguez scored for Portland (2-4-4) in the 65th minute. Santiago Moreno played an entry pass that was deflected high in the air by a defender and Rodríguez — while LAFC’s nearest player, Eduard Atuesta, appeared unaware of the ball’s location — took control and ripped a low shot from the top of the area inside the post to make it 2-1.
Claudio Bravo played a cross that was redirected by LAFC’s Maxime Chanot in the center of the area to Moreno, who took a dribble before he rolled a shot from 25 yards off the post and into the net to tie it at 2-2 in the 73rd.
Crépeau finished eight saves for Portland. Hugo Lloris had three saves for LAFC.
