LAFC rolls past Portland in U.S. Open Cup match

Making it look easy against a team that almost always pushes them to their limits, the Los Angeles Football Club continued their stellar play with a clear victory over the Portland Timbers on Tuesday.

The resounding 2-0 result over their west coast rivals advanced LAFC into the Round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup tournament.

Goals from Cristian Arango and Mamadou Fall, and six saves from adventurous LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, kept the Black & Gold in charge for the duration of their third meeting in Open Cup play against the Timbers.

Crepeau’s first Open Cup start for LAFC came two days before his 28th birthday. His man-of-the-match performance, thanks to six saves and a frollicking style that included several challenges far away from goal, earned a birthday serenade from The 3252 after the final whistle.

Starting on the other side of the field, former Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham had compiled a 4-2-3 record against LAFC before moving to the Pacific Northwest. For the second time in four days Portland head coach Gio Savarese started him between the pipes.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper from Castro Valley could have kept LAFC off the board in the opening 45 minutes were it not for a beautiful sequence near the half-hour mark that finished with Arango’s third goal in all competitions this season.

A Jose Cifuentes corner kick 32 minutes into the match was cleared outside the box to Fall, who patiently held the ball at his feet while forward Mahala Opoku circled around a group of Timbers defenders.

Fall’s perfectly weighted pass toward the endline allowed Mahala time and space to pass the ball to Arango, who flicked a backheeled shot between Bingham and the near post for a lead LAFC did not relinquish. LAFC ramped up the pressure the remainder of the first half, however Bingham’s four saves kept his side in the match heading to the locker room.

Nine minutes after play resumed, LAFC gave itself breathing room when Fall again capitalized on a corner kick.

Standing in the middle of the box, the 19-yearold Senagalese defender smashed a bouncing ball by Bingham to pull ahead 2-0.

Fall’s contribution marked the eighth time in nine Open Cup contests that LAFC scored two or more goals. The lone outlier was their 1-0 defeat at home against the Timbers in 2019.

Tuesday’s victory pulled LAFC even with Portland after 15 meetings (5-5-5 in all competitions), and improved their overall Open Cup record to 7-2.

LAFC’s Round of 16 opponent will be revealed on Thursday, and depending on the draw the match will occur on the 24th or 25th of this month.