After an impressive opening game victory last Saturday, Los Angeles FC will host the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer action on Sunday at Banc of California Stadium.
Some outstanding individual performances enabled The Black-and-Gold to blank the Colorado Rapids 3-0, while last season's Western Conference champions came back twice to draw the New England Revolution 2-2.
Match preview
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The 2022 campaign is still young, but there is already a lot to like about what Steve Cherundolo and his LA side have shown us.
Even though a standout performer was talked about following their opening fixture, it was a solid team effort from Los Angeles, who were sharp both on and off the ball, with their newcomers also making an impact.
The message that one individual is not more important than anyone else has been something the former American international has emphasised repeatedly to his players, who have shown plenty of quality all over the field.
So far, we are seeing a much stronger midfield presence, as they did a great job at winning balls and picking out their open strikers in behind space last weekend.
While there is plenty of talent at every position, this is a team with some intelligent and savvy game managers who can dictate the tempo of a match when they are at their best.
Seeing LA collect a clean sheet was undoubtedly a welcome sight for all Black-and-Gold supporters, although Cherundolo noted afterwards that there is still room for improvement when it comes to their organisation at the back as well as adjusting to how opposing attacks are playing.
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A determined Timbers side never lost hope or stopped fighting in their opening fixture of the season, showing tons of resiliency against the reigning Supporters' Shield winners.
While Giovanni Savarese will be disappointed at some of the opportunities that his players missed in the second half, a draw was probably a fair result seeing as The Revs fired seven efforts on target and got into dangerous shooting areas.
The Timbers are a young group, with plenty of quality individuals capable of changing the complexion of a match in a single moment, and some of those moments of brilliance were on display last Saturday.
Portland were decimated on the injury front last season, and that has continued into this campaign, although they seem to be well-equipped to deal with any setbacks thrown their way.
Savarese will want his backline to show more composure than we saw at home to New England in their opener, as they looked a little overzealous at times, allowing The Revs to get in behind them often.
Not only do The Timbers have to contend with a dangerous LAFC side, but now there is a potential off-field incident surrounding the organisation.
Former midfielder Andy Polo is being sued for alleged domestic abuse against his estranged wife, with the league investigating the club's handling of the situation, which according to reports happened on or around May 23, 2021.
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Team News
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LAFC forward Carlos Vela was named the MLS Player of The Week, scoring a hat-trick in their opening match, while Jose Cifuentes picked up two assists and Maxime Crepeau only faced one shot, collecting his first clean sheet with his new team.
Ismael Tajouri-Shradi has an issue with his left pelvis, Eddie Segura is nursing a right knee issue, Erik Duenas will not be available due to a left knee problem and Julian Gaines will miss this contest because of a right adductor injury.
Midfielder llie Sanchez had an impressive opening game for LA, playing alongside Cifuentes and Kellyn Acosta, as he was able to neutralise Colorado in transition, while Doneil Henry earned his first cap with his new side, replacing Jesus David Murillo late in the second half.
A brilliant bicycle kick from Yimmi Chara helped the Timbers pick up a point against The Revs, as his strike was also chosen as the MLS Goal of The Week, with the other Portland tally coming courtesy of Dairon Asprilla.
The club inked defender Pablo Bonilla to a two-year contract extension that will see him with the team until 2023 with a club option, while Cristhian Paredes will be in the Pacific Northwest until 2025 with a club option as well.
Tega Ikoba, Dario Zuparic and Larrys Mabiala are experiencing abdominal issues, while Felipe Mora and Eryk Williamson will not be available for the foreseeable future after each undergoing knee surgery.
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Crepeau; Escobar, Henry, Fall, Palacios; Acosta, Sanchez, Cifuentes; Blessing, Vela, Rodriguez
Portland Timbers possible starting lineup:
Ivacic; Van Rankin, McGraw, Tuiloma, Bravo; Blanco, D. Chara, Paredes, Fochive; Y. Chara, Asprilla
We say: Los Angeles FC 2-1 Portland Timbers
It may only be one game, but LA look to be the real deal, and when Vela is in the mood and healthy, they are an elite team who can cause headaches for even the best defensive sides in MLS.
While Portland held their own in their season opener, they are playing the Black-and-Gold at a lousy time, as LA are in game shape and in fine form offensively.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Los Angeles FC win with a probability of 58.1%. A draw had a probability of 21.4% and a win for Portland Timbers had a probability of 20.52%.
The most likely scoreline for a Los Angeles FC win was 2-1 with a probability of 9.9%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-0 (8.94%) and 1-0 (8.92%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (9.89%), while for a Portland Timbers win it was 1-2 (5.48%). The actual scoreline of 1-1 was predicted with a 9.9% likelihood.
