LA Galaxy Postgame Media Assets, Notes and Quotes: LA Galaxy Earn 2-1 Stoppage-Time Win Over the Portland Timbers at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday Night
LOS ANGELES (Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021) – Playing the first of three games in the span of eight days, the LA Galaxy tallied a stoppage-time winning goal to earn a 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night. Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez notched his team-leading 13th goal of the season, while Sacha Kljestan recorded the game-winning goal.
LA Galaxy Against Portland
Saturday’s match marked the 29th MLS regular-season meeting between LA and Portland, with the Galaxy leading the series 12-11-6. In 15 regular-season meetings at home against Portland, the Galaxy hold a 9-3-3 record. In three meetings between the two clubs this season, LA held a 2-1-0 record. In three appearances against Portland in 2021, Kljestan has tallied two goals.
Goal-Scoring Plays
LA – Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez (Victor Vázquez), 62nd minute: Picking his head up in midfield, Vázquez bent his pass behind the Portland defense to Chicharito, who stabbed his shot past Steve Clark from close range.
POR – Sebastián Blanco (Santiago Moreno), 72nd minute: From the left corner of the 18-yard box, Sebastián Blanco looped in a cross that picked out the far corner of the goal.
LA – Sacha Kljestan (Penalty Kick), 90+2nd minute: After Efrain Álvarez was fouled inside the box, Kljestan’s ensuing penalty attempt was fired into the lower right corner of the net.
Postgame Notes
The LA Galaxy improved to 12-11-6 (42 pts) this season, sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
LA sits in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, level on points with fifth-place Real Salt Lake (12-11-6, 42 pts).
Saturday’s match marked the 29th MLS regular-season meeting between LA and Portland, with the Galaxy leading the series 12-11-6.
In 15 regular-season meetings at home against Portland, the Galaxy hold a 9-3-3 record.
In three meetings between the two clubs this season, LA held a 2-1-0 record.
The win over Portland marked LA’s first victory dating back to a 1-0 win over Minnesota on Aug. 14.
Jonathan dos Santos appeared in his 100th match across all competitions for the Galaxy in the win over Portland.
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez notched his team-leading 13th goal of the season against the Timbers.
In three appearances against Portland during the 2021 campaign, Sacha Kljestan registered two goals.
The goal against Portland marked Kljestan’s third penalty-kick goal of the year and his fourth goal overall this season.
Additionally, the goal marked Kljestan’s 12th game-winning goal in his MLS regular-season career.
Victor Vázquez registered his fifth assist of the campaign.
Vázquez finished the match with a game-high eight chances created.
Samuel Grandsir is the only player to appear in every match this season (29) for the Galaxy.
Derrick Williams made his start for the Galaxy since starting and playing 71 minutes against the Colorado Rapids on Sept. 11.
LA Galaxy (12-11-6, 42pts) vs. Portland Timbers (14-11-4, 46pts)
Oct. 16, 2021 – Dignity Health Sports Park (Los Angeles)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 0 2 2
Portland Timbers 0 1 1
Scoring Summary:
LA: Hernandez (Vázquez), 62
POR: Blanco (Moreno), 72
LA: Kljestan (penalty kick), 90+2
Misconduct Summary:
LA: Hernandez (caution), 38
POR: Bonilla (caution), 44
POR: Chara (caution), 65
LA: Kjlestan (caution), 87
LA: Joveljić (caution), 90+5
Lineups:
LA: GK Jonathan Bond; D Julian Araujo, D Nick DePuy, D Derrick Williams, D Niko Hämäläinen; M Kévin Cabral (Efrain Álvarez, 63), M Jonathan dos Santos © (Sacha Kljestan, 63), M Rayan Raveloson, M Samuel Grandsir (Dejan Joveljić, 83); F Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, F Víctor Vázquez (Sebastian Lletget, 70)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Jonathan Klinsmann; D Sega Coulibaly, D Daniel Steres; M Adam Saldaña; F Ethan Zubak
TOTAL SHOTS: 20 (Chicharito, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Chicharito, 3); FOULS: 15 (Chicharito, 4) OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 5
POR: GK Steve Clark; D Josecarlos Van Rankin, D Dario Zuparic, D Larrys Mabiala, D Pablo Bonilla (Zac McGraw, 89); M Diego Chara ©, M Cristhian Paredes (George Fochive, 83), M Yimmi Chara, M Sebastian Blanco (Diego Valeri, 89), M Dairon Asprilla (Santiago Moreno, 65); F Jaroslaw Niezgoda (Felipe Mora, 65)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Aljaz Ivacic, M Marvin Loria, M Renzo Zambrano
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Sebastián Blanco, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Sebastián Blanco, 3); FOULS: 10 (Diego Chara, 3) OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 7
Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistant Referees: Micheal Barwegen, Eduardo Mariscal
Fourth Official: Chris Ruska
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
Weather: Clear, 69 degrees
Attendance: 15,322
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
