Cristian Arango extends scoring streak in LAFC’s 2-1 loss to Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. — George Fochive scored the go-ahead goal on a header in the 68th minute and the Portland Timbers beat LAFC 2-1 on Sunday night.
The Timbers (11-10-4) moved into fifth place in the Western Conference and extended their undefeated streak to five games.
Dairon Asprilla had an early goal for Portland. Cristian Arango tied it on a penalty in the first half, his fifth straight game with a goal.
LAFC (9-10-6) had won three in a row. It had an eight-game winless streak this summer to drop to 11th in the standings but rebounded and went into the game in eighth, just a point back of Portland and Minnesota.
Emanuel Reynoso scored two goals in the first 20 minutes, the 25-year old’s first multi-goal game in MLS, in a 3-0 win over the Galaxy.
Portland went ahead in the 21st minute on Asprilla’s header. But a short time later a handball in the box gave LAFC a penalty that Arango buried. Portland’s Sebastian Blanco was handed a yellow card for arguing that the ball hit him on the side, not on the arm.
Fochive scored his second goal of the season to break the stalemate. LAFC had a chance to tie it again with a dangerous free kick in the 77th, but Brian Rodriguez’s kick went over the wall and wide.
It appeared that Felipe Mora had scored another goal for the the Timbers in the 86th minute, but it was ruled offside after a video review.
Carlos Vela (right quad) and Eduard Atuesta (right ankle) remained out of LAFC’s lineup because of injury.
The Timbers tied Colorado 2-2 on Wednesday. LAFC was coming off a 2-1 victory at Austin on Wednesday.
