Portland Timbers enter their home clash on an unbeaten run of five matches against Los Angeles FC on Saturday night.
Nevertheless, Portland manager Phil Neville said that he believes that in the last few sessions may take some extra to earn results against the best side of the Western conference.
Yes, Timbers (4-2-2, 14 points) in the weekend are tied for third place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of LAFC. But it is only based on about a quarter season, and during the time when the LAFC approach is divided between MLS and ConcacAF Champions Cup competition.
It is LAFC (4-4-0, 12 points) which has finished first in West two in the last three years and has stars like Dennis Buanga, a top scorer of 2023 MLS, and French national team’s all-time scoring leader, Olivier Giroud.
So Neville is asking the All-Hands-on-Deck mindset in Saturday’s match and about his team’s fans.
“We need supporters with us,” he said. “We need to intimidate it. We need to make it one of those special providence Park Nights, I think.”
All said, Portland has earned its highest position in the table, winning three times during its five-match run (3–0-2).
In the Sports Census City, in the last weekend 4–2, Kevin Kelsey became the latest Timbers attacking with two goals and a cross, which contributed to the third goal.
Meanwhile, Buanga scored his first goal of the season in LAFC’s 2–1 domestic victory over San Jose last Saturday. Giroud has still not scored in league play, although he was looking more threatened than the previous outing in the last week’s victory.
LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo said, “Looking at the last few weeks, we are not as much as we want.” “We don’t think we do not have a player or game model to start scoring again. So we feel that it is just a matter of time.”
Cherundolo also hopes that his side looks very fresh on Saturday after a week. At this point, LAFC played six additional Champions Cup games before Miami ended in the quarter -finals earlier this month.
-Bield level media
