Galaxy can't hold lead, have to settle for tie with Timbers
CARSON » The Galaxy continue to walk the dangerous line.
For a team that's fighting for its playoff life and hanging on to contention, the Galaxy have struggled keeping their opponent off of the scoreboard.
The Galaxy had allowed 10 goals in the past three games, but had only one loss (winning one and tying the other) entering Saturday night's game against the Portland Timbers.
The Galaxy again fell behind by a goal, rallied to take the lead into halftime, but allowed the tying goal in the 76th minute and had to settle for a 3-3 draw in front of 23,101 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
All draws are not alike and this one, especially at home, is as disappointing as it gets for the Galaxy.
For 75 minutes, the Galaxy held a 3-2 lead and appeared destined to finally move out of 13th place in the Western Conference and within four points of the ninth and final playoff spot.
However, Portland's Felipe Mora evened things on the scoreboard, leaving the Galaxy pondering what might have been.
In the later stages, Portland had at least two chances to sneak out with a win, but was unable to finish the deal.
The draw moves the Galaxy (8-11-11) to 35 points, still in 13th place and now six points off the final playoff spot with four games remaining.
The night became complicated for the Galaxy when midfielder and captain Riqui Puig was held out due to an ankle injury that he suffered in last Sunday's 3-3 draw against Austin FC.
The game had its ups and downs for the Galaxy, especially defender Eriq Zavaleta. Zaveleta scored in the 10th minute and the first minute of stoppage time, but in the 38th minute was credited with an own goal as the Timbers tied the score at 2-2.
The Galaxy's other goal came in the 43rd minute by Douglas Costa, who was making his return after missing three games with a hamstring injury. The goal was the first this season for Costa, sending the Galaxy into halftime with a 3-2 lead.
Despite the shaky defending, the Galaxy have just one loss in the past four games.
But time is slowly slipping away.
Portland has caught fire since firing longtime coach Giovanni Savarese in late August, reeling off a 5-0-2 record in the past seven games to climb to seventh place in the Western Conference entering the weekend.
The Galaxy how have four games remaining in the regular season, with two on the road (Wednesday at Seattle, and Oct. 7 at Minnesota United) and two at home (Oct. 14 against Real Salt Lake and Oct. 21 against FC Dallas).