Los Angeles Galaxy, Portland Timbers Play To Entertaining Draw At The Hub

Jul 4, 2014; Carson, CA, USA; Fans from left Stefano Gonzales , Sirilla Gonzales and Brittany Caycedo from Torrance, CA enjoy a fireworks display following the game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Portland Timbers at StubHub Center. The game ended in a 2-2 tie. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It had goals. It had action. It had everything you wanted to see in a riveting match between two teams clawing for a spot among the MLS Western Conference’s best. But in the end, Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy and Caleb Porter’s Portland Timbers played to a 2-2 draw at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. on Independence Day 2014. Here are six things we learned, followed by player ratings, from Friday night’s encounter between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Portland Timbers.

1. Galaxy, Timbers trade misses early

Early on in the first half, Rauwshan McKenzie tried a header from the center of the box in the sixth minute but it missed to the right. In the 10th minute, Juninho had a right-footed shot from outside the box miss to the left. In the 11th minute, Juninho again tried a shot from outside the boc but it was saved by Donovan Ricketts. Diego Valeri was cautioned in the 12th minute for a foul on Landon Donovan. In the 15th minute, Robbie Keane tried a right-footed shot from the center of the box but that was blocked. Marcelo Sarvas hit the right post seconds later.

2. Defensive stalemate midway through first half

In the 17th minute, Will Johnson tried a through ball, but Fanendo Adi was caught offsides. The next several minutes were a battle of wills, with Los Angeles’s defense holding sway, with little offense to show for it. Portland’s defense was also holding its own and for the middle part of the first half, it was a defensive stalemate. In the 30th minute, Johnson tried another through ball, but this time it was Diego Valeri caught offsides.

3. A scoreless first half

In the 33rd minute, Gyasi Zardes had a left-footed shot from outside the box miss to the right. Adi had a chance from the center of the box also miss to the right in the 35th minute. Dan Gargan was cautioned in the 40th minute for a foul on Rauwshan McKenzie. Valeri had a right-footed shot from outside the box sail too high in the 42nd minute. Portland’s Gaston Fernandez had his first chance saved by Jaime Penedo in the 45th minute of play.

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4. Marcelo Sarvas kickstarts scoring barrage

But while it would be a scoreless first half for both teams, the second half would be wide open like Miami. In the 48th minute, Juninho had a shot saved by Ricketts while Adi was denied by Penedo on the transition. In the 54th minute Robbie Keane had a left-footed shot sail over and out. Johnson’s next chance in the 61st minute was saved by Penedo. In the 65th minute, Marcelo Sarvas made the most of his chance off a scramble to give the Galaxy a 1-0 lead.

4. Valeri and Villafan respond to give Portland ascendancy

The lead would be short-lived, however. In the 67th minute, Valeri was able to take advantage of a poor clearance off an Adi header to make it 1-1. In the 70th minute, Villafana, the former Jorge Flores and former Chivas USA trigger man, opened up his goalscoring account off an impressive sequence of passes, and a barrage of failed clearances. Diego Valeri also was in on this sequence. If you can’t provide, just put the matters into your own hands. Er, feet. You know how it goes.

5. Rauwshan McKenzie becomes his own enemy

Once again, the Galaxy were forced to chase the game because of a poor defensive effort in the second half. Gee, isn’t this a telling sign that some changes need to be in order at the top out at the Hub? In the 71st minute, Stefan Ishizaki called it quits and Baggio Husidic came into the fray. In the 74th minute, Rodney Wallace, who spent some time with Sacramento Republic of USL PRO, came in for Fernandez. Zardes had a header from the center of the box miss to the right in that same minute. Diego Chara was the next to be cautioned, in the 76th minute.

In the 77th minute, Juninho was denied by Ricketts. More fresh bodies came in the 82nd, with Kalif Alhassan relieving Darlington Nagbe and Rob Friend filling in for A.J. DeLaGarza. In the 84th minute, Husidic had a shot sail too high. The 86th minute saw tragedy for Portland. McKenzie scored an own goal of the most comedic proportions, making the finish of this match wider than Miami.

6. Rally falls just short for Galaxy late

In the 87th minute, a Robbie Rogers through ball for Keane was rules offsides. Valeri had a right-footed shot from the right side of the box saved by Penedo in the 89th minute of play. The first minute of stoppage time saw forward Chandler Hoffman take over for Juninho. He nearly cashed in one minute later but the shot from the center of the box was blocked. Jack Jewsbury took over for Valeri in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Seconds later, Rogers had a shot just sail over, and that was the last big break for either team in this game.

Team Statistics

Los Angeles Galaxy in gold, Portland Timbers in green

Los Angeles Galaxy Player Ratings

Jaime Penedo 6, A.J. DeLaGarza 5, Dan Gargan 5.5, Robbie Rogers 6, Tommy Meyer 7, Juninho 6, Landon Donovan 7, Marcelo Sarvas 9, Stefan Ishizaki 5, Gyasi Zardes 5, Robbie Keane 6, Baggio Husidic 4, Rob Friend 3, Chandler Hoffman NR

Portland Timbers Player Ratings

Donovan Ricketts 6, Danny O’Rourke 6, Jorge Villafana 8, Michael Harrington 6, Rauwshan McKenzie 1, Diego Chara 6.5, Diego Valeri 7.5, Will Johnson 7, Darlington Nagbe 6, Fanendo Adi 6, Gaston Fernandez 5, Rodney Wallace 4, Kalif Alhassan 3, Jack Jewsbury NR