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From Coast to Coast: The Story Behind Jeremy Ebobisse and Eryk Williamson’s Close Bond

Photos by Matthew Wolfe (left) and Kris Lattimore (right)

Portland midfielder Eryk Williamson’s downtown apartment is pretty simple. There’s furniture and standard appliances, but nothing out of the ordinary. In both appearance and purpose, it’s just a place for him to crash between team training sessions and games.

Just two canvases hang from the apartment’s beige walls. One is a classic world map. The other is a picture of Williamson and his close friend—and Timbers teammate—Jeremy Ebobisse.

The lack of pictures and wall art throughout the apartment gives more weight to what is hung up. That’s certainly true with the cropped picture of him and Ebobisse, which was taken during Portland’s 2019 media day. In it, Ebobisse is hanging onto Williamson’s back. Both are smiling.

“It’s one of the two canvases I have up in my place,” Williamson said. “It’s one that really speaks to our relationship. About how I have his back, and he has my back.”

Ebobisse and Williamson have built a rapport on the field, but their relationship didn’t start in Portland. They’ve known one another since they were teenagers playing youth soccer in the Washington, DC suburbs. When they grew older, they became teammates in the United States youth national team system and competed at the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea together.

Now, they’re both expected to play important roles for a Timbers team with MLS Cup aspirations. The photo from that 2019 media day serves as a humbling reminder of where both players started and how they’ve progressed in their careers. Most importantly, it’s a symbol of their close bond years in the making. 

“We’re always joking around, Ebobisse said. “They just so happened to capture that moment with a picture.”

It’s not uncommon to hear multiple languages at Portland’s training sessions. Those nearby are just as likely to witness coach Giovanni Savarese belting out instructions in Spanish as they are to hear players shout at each other in French or English during a heated drill.

Listen carefully and you also might also hear the word “sice.” It sounds natural in conversation, but like other regional jargon, it stands out.

The term is DC lingo used after a hyperbolic or exaggerated saying, commonly after jokes. Williamson gave the example of calling someone’s foot bigger than their head. Because that isn’t true, it’s often followed  “sice” or “I’m sicing you.” It’s a small thing, but speaks to a commonality Williamson and Ebobisse share from growing up just miles apart.

“That’s something that me and Jeremy have on a lot of guys,” Williamson said. “We have this lingo and can get around explaining it to them, or use it as our own little word that we use until they figure it out.”

Photo by Kris Lattimore

Williamson grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, just south of downtown DC, while Ebobisse grew up north of the city in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. Both were ‘97 kids who played a year up for their club teams—Williamson for the Annandale Firestorm and Ebobisse for the Olney Rangers.

The two first played against one another when they were 12 or 13 years old. Williamson said Ebobisse’s style immediately stood out, specifically the frosted tips the young forward sported. However, the hair—which Williamson later learned came from the chlorine in pools Ebobisse competitively swam in—paled in comparison to Ebobisse’s talent on the field.

Just five minutes into the game, Ebobisse took a shot 40 yards from goal, which rattled the crossbar and rebounded to Williamson in midfield. The Firestorm lost 6–1 that day.

As they grew older, the pair continued to compete against each other, Williamson in Virginia’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) system and Ebobisse for Maryland’s ODP.

Eventually, Williamson and Ebobisse became teammates on the United States U-20 youth national team, where they roomed together at international competitions. They often joked around and enjoyed each other’s company, but also spent plenty of time discussing their game on the field, providing one other with suggestions and constructive criticism.

The occasional deep conversations at night—whether about their personal lives or struggles on the field—helped their relationship blossom.

“We were really able to understand each other’s tendencies,” Ebobisse said. “The things that made us uncomfortable [and] the things that made us really click. By the end of our time there, it wasn’t one of those situations where we didn’t want to be around each other any more.”

The text popped up on Ebobisse’s phone out of the blue.

“RCTID…,” it read.

It consisted of just an acronym, but Ebobisse knew right away what Williamson meant. RCTID: Rose City ‘Til I Die, the Timbers’ recognizable social media hashtag. His close friend, who he grew up competing against and later roomed with, was about to become his teammate in Portland.

“I told him that he better not be messing with me,” Ebobisse said. “But it turns out that he had made the decision and what happened, happened. He was due to fly in 24 hours later and I was just excited.”

Ebobisse had spent a portion of that summer at his home in Maryland. He sometimes played pickup soccer at the nearby University of Maryland campus, where Williamson went to school. Right before Ebobisse returned to Portland for preseason, the two had an honest conversation about the young midfielder’s career goals.

At the time, Williamson was mulling over the decision to either stay in school and play collegiately for another season or to go pro. If he chose to go pro, Williamson told Ebobisse, he would probably end up at one of two different clubs, one being Portland. Still, Ebobisse never thought he would actually share the field with Williamson that very season.

Then the text arrived, sending Ebobisse scrambling to come up with a plan to welcome his friend to his adopted home. 

He first volunteered to pick Williamson up from the airport, but a team official had that covered. Instead, Ebobisse took Williamson out to dinner at one of his favorite sushi spots in Portland, Bamboo Sushi, later that night. In a way, Ebobisse wanted to give his friend—completely new to the west coast—something he didn’t have when he first arrived in Portland.

“The previous year, I didn’t have many close relationships on the team,” Ebobisse said. “As a young rookie in an older locker room with a lot of cultural experiences, I didn’t necessarily find my footing immediately. That was definitely a helping hand in my process as much as I helped him as well.”

Off the field, Williamson and Ebobisse played board games like Settlers of Catan and explored the city, often taking trips to local coffee shops. They also roomed together on road trips, where they continued the honest conversations they had while with the youth national teams. 

Photo by Nikita Taparia

In 2019, specifically, those discussions really helped Williamson, who struggled to earn minutes with the first team while Ebobisse began to break into the starting eleven. The midfielder asked his friend about what he needed to get out of training and how he could stand out. While nothing changed immediately, those exchanges, which stemmed from their close bond, proved pivotal. 

“When you spend that much time with someone, it’s not always going to be joking and laughter,” Ebobisse said. “Sometimes, it’s going to be about serious personal growth on both of our ends. We’ve both gone through a lot on the athletic front and then we’ve also had a lot of different experiences personally. They shaped the way that we do our jobs in the world and we trust each other to give and receive that advice.”

At the time, Ebobisse treaded lightly. He knew Williamson was working as hard as he could to earn time with the first team beyond US Open Cup games and heavily rotated midweek lineups. So, Ebobisse became his friend’s sounding board, having experienced similar early struggles prior to his breakthrough.

“I think he realized that he stepped in right when I think I needed it the most,” Williamson said. “There have been times, it may have been car rides either to or from an event or something along those lines, where it was reassuring. Although I’m not playing, people believe in me and want me to keep pushing.”

They’ve had those conversations more recently too, after neither received a call-up to the United States U-23s to take part in the 2020 Olympic qualifying tournament. Both Ebobisse and Williamson made the preliminary roster, but didn’t make the final cut for manager Jason Kreis’s 20-man team.

“I think we were both a little frustrated there, but we both know that this is a big year for us,” Williamson said. “We sat down and had that conversation. We can’t dwell on it and we have to keep moving forward. Ultimately we have each other and we will do it together.”

As the 2021 MLS season approaches, both are preparing to take another leap forward in their careers. Despite not making the Olympic qualifying roster, they are more confident than ever before, and a lot of that stems from those conversations and their close bond.

What began as a competitive relationship in the DC club soccer scene developed into a close bond built up during their time on youth national teams and now with the Timbers. So, regardless of what happens this season or in the future, the pair will always have one another.

It’s something Williamson is reminded of every day, thanks to the picture, in canvas form, that hangs from his apartment walls.

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Soccer Timbers

Green, More Green, and Gold: A Look at the Timbers’ Newest Primary Kit

Photo courtesy of Craig Mitchelldyer/ Portland Timbers
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Late Goals Prove to be Timbers Undoing in Heartbreaking loss to FC Dallas

Photo by Kris Lattimore

Jorge Villafaña turned and put his hands over his face. Diego Valeri started to walk off the field with his head down. Jeremy Ebobisse squatted down and rubbed his forehead.

Seconds after FC Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer dove to his left and punched the ball away, players in green and gold came to grips with the fact that their season was over.

“In a penalty shootout, anything can happen,” Valeri said, “and it’s just a tiny difference that changed the game. We are very disappointed with the way our season is ending, but our team left everything on the field. That’s why we have to be proud.”

Before Sunday night, the Timbers were a perfect 100% in their three games that came down to spot kicks this season. But penalty kicks are a game of chance, and it was Mauer, not Steve Clark, who guessed a kick correctly to help his team seal a playoff win.

The shootout went eight rounds, making it the third longest in MLS history. As it went on, the pressure to match FC Dallas make-for-make eventually became too much for Portland.

Villafaña, who just thirty minutes prior was the hero after he scored what looked to be the game-winning goal in the 82′, was the player whose missed penalty sealed the game.

“When you leave a game to PKs it can go either way,” Savarese said. “It’s unfortunate because we did everything to be able to win this match until that moment.”

That late moment Saverese referenced came in the 90+3′, just one minute prior to the final whistle.

With the Timbers up a goal and on the verge of advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals, 17-year-old Ricardo Pepi got behind Portland’s back line and slotted a deflected ball past Clark for an equalizing goal at the death.

Up until that point, Portland looked to be in control. But from then on, it was all FC Dallas — right until Maurer came up with the final save on Villafaña.

The late equalizer is the sixth goal the Timbers have conceded in stoppage-time this season. It was also the 15th goal the defense allowed after the 75′, which led the entire league.

Finding different ways to snatch defeat (or a draw) out of the jaws of victory is not exactly a new issue for this Portland team. There have been numerous warning signs throughout the year. Eventually, frustrating results turned into a legitimate trend.

Cracks first started to appear in an Aug. 29 game against Real Salt Lake at Providence Park. With just five minutes and stoppage time remaining, all the Timbers had to do was see out a 4-2 lead. Instead, RSL clawed all the way back and Sam Johnson tied the game at four in the 90+5′.

In late October, the Timbers were on track to beat LAFC until Portland conceded a late goal to 16-year-old Christian Torres in the 90+3′.

Four days later, Portland had a golden opportunity to leap over their bitter rivals, the Seattle Sounders, and into first place in the Western Conference. Instead, Will Bruin found himself wide open at the back post to head in an equalizing goal deep into second-half stoppage time.

And just three minutes into stoppage time against FC Dallas, Pepe’s goal swung all the momentum in the visitor’s favor.

“We, in the last minute, allowed a goal to come in that changed the trajectory of everything that we did well during the match,” Savarese said.

So, what made the Timbers so susceptible to conceding those late goals? It’s a question that could be argued all off-season.

At times, Portland struggled to capitalize on early chances that came back to bite when it entered stoppage time only up a goal. You could argue it is chance, but how much of conceding late is a psychological thing when it happens so frequently?

In the team’s MLS is Back Tournament run, they allowed four goals after the 80′, but Portland found enough goals to win those games. That didn’t happen in the MLS Cup playoffs.

But what was a heartbreaking conclusion shouldn’t overshadow all the Timbers accomplished in a season that spanned from March until November with a four-month break in between.

They won the league’s first––and hopefully only––MLS is Back Tournament trophy over the summer, and played some fun soccer doing it.

After months of uncertainty in 2019, club legend Diego Valeri returned to Portland and picked up where he left off. He ended the season with his 100th MLS assist when he played Villafaña in on goal against FC Dallas.

Gavin Wilkinson and the Timbers front office built up attacking depth over the offseason, and they needed all of it after Sebastián Blanco and Jarosław Niezgoda suffered season-ending injuries toward the end of the year. Jeremy Ebobisse, who broke out in many ways this season, dealt with a concussion over the past few weeks, and didn’t enter the game against FC Dallas until the 88′.

“It’s very frustrating,” Valeri said. “It’s a tough emotion, it’s hard to process now. But we have to rest well and scout the season to see why we had a good season, [find] what the positive things were that we did during the whole season and try to reinforce it.

An argument can be made that Portland was the better side Sunday night. Saverese alluded to that sentiment multiple times in his post game press conference. But MLS isn’t always fair; Portland learned that lesson the hard way against FC Dallas.

“We believed that even though we had adversity and players who were not with us, we still had a group that could go all the way,” Savarese said. “Unfortunately, now we are out and we have to plan for next year.”

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Soccer Timbers

Timbers Give Up a Late Goal, Lose to FC Dallas on Penalties in MLS Cup Playoffs

Photo by Kris Lattimore

The Portland Timbers season is over.

After 120 minutes and eight rounds of penalties, the Timbers finally succumbed to an FC Dallas side that were slow to start but finished strong in Sunday night’s MLS Cup Playoff match. It was only fitting in 2020 that, with victory in their grasp after a beautiful goal from Jorge Villafana, the Timbers conceded in the 93rd minute to a bouncing ball played over the top of their backline, ultimately losing 1-1 (7-8) after a tense penalty shootout.

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Timbers Rescue a Point at the Death with 1-1 Draw at LAFC

The Portland Timbers snatched a point in the final minutes of Sunday afternoon’s match at Banc of California Stadium, drawing LAFC 1-1 in the final match of the 2020 regular season.

The Timbers’ point and results from around the rest of the league mean that they finish the year in third place in the Western Conference and will face off against FC Dallas in the opening round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

LAFC started the match with a high, hard press that tripped up the Timbers from the opening whistle. Trying to work the ball out of the back, the Timbers were swarmed on the ball and any poorly controlled touch was pounced on by the hosts.

In just the fifth minute, LAFC were able to take advantage of a mistake from Eryk Williamson just outside the Timbers box. Receiving a pass from Larrys Mabiala and looking to turn out of pressure, Williamson was instead bodied off the ball by Diego Rossi and coughed it up to Latif Blessing in space. The little Ghanaian fired off a shot that Steve Clark parried away, but Carlos Vela was in the right place at the right time to slam home the rebound, giving LA a 1-0 lead.

The home side kept up the pressure, keeping the Timbers off balance and mostly unable to get down the pitch in a coherent fashion. What few attacking moves the Timbers were able to put together fell apart as anything less than a perfect pass was picked off by the LAFC defense.

After the half, the Timbers came out of the locker room looking more composed, but still unable to put together much in the attacking end. Although the Timbers were able to venture forward much more readily in the second half, they could not find an opening in the LA backline to put a shot on goal.

The Timbers finally managed a shot on goal in the 80th minute. A ball down the right played Yimmi Chara into space and the Colombian cut a square ball into the box for the run of Diego Valeri. As his path met Yimmi’s cross, Valeri struck the ball first time, sending a fizzing ball directly at Kenneth Vermeer that the LAFC keeper snagged and held.

The Timbers managed a second chance on goal in the 88th minute, when Dairon Asprilla brought down a ball wide on the left and sent a chipped ball into the LA box. The ball fell to the head of Felipe Mora who flicked it on to the back post where Yimmi was crashing toward the goal. Throwing himself toward the ball, Yimmi got a boot to it and put a low-angle shot on goal, but Vermeer made himself big and blocked the ball away.

With the chances coming their way now, the Timbers finally made one count in the 90th minute of the match. On a quick break down the pitch following an LA chance, Valeri hit a long, diagonal cross into the box. Valeri’s ball sailed over Mora and Asprilla in the box, dropping instead for Jorge Villafana, cutting in from the left wing. As the ball fell to him, Villafana put a head to it, sending a shot bouncing off the turf and into the back of the net to draw the sides even at the end of regulation.

 

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Soccer Timbers

Timbers Lose 1-0 to Colorado Rapids, Fall Out of First Place

Photo by Matthew Wolfe

The Portland Timbers played their last home match of the 2020 MLS season on Wednesday, and it did not go well. With first place in the western conference on the line, the Timbers could not find a way to break down the Colorado Rapids, ultimately losing 1-0 to a side that had missed a full quarter of the already abbreviated season due to COVID-19 cases.

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Timbers Outlast Vancouver Whitecaps in 1-0 Win

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

The Portland Timbers played a hard-fought match against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night at Providence Park, ultimately coming away with a 1-0 win over their Canadian rivals. A stunning second-half goal from Yimmi Chara was enough to secure all three points for the Timbers and lift them into first place in the Western Conference.

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Timbers Snap Winless Streak with 5-2 Romp Over LA Galaxy

The Portland Timbers had gone three games without a win coming into Wednesday’s match against the LA Galaxy at Providence Park, but that streak was ended in emphatic fashion on the night as the Timbers’ attack exploded past the Galaxy in a 5-2 win.

As has been their style in 2020, the Timbers opened the scoring early, putting the first ball in the back of the net in just the sixth minute. Running onto a ball down the left from Yimmi Chará, Jorge Villafaña clipped a cross into the Galaxy box that found Jarek Niezgoda cutting in front of Nicholas DePuy. The Timbers striker nodded the ball toward the far post, sending it skipping off the turf and past the dive of Jonathan Klinsmann to put the Timbers up 1-0.

The Galaxy had a chance to pull one back in the eighth minute, when a Cristian Pavón corner kick found the leaping form of Yony González rising out of the press of bodies in the Timbers box. González struck a strong header toward goal, but the chance clanged off the post and bounced away, with the following rebound hitting a forest of legs and deflecting clear.

The Timbers extended their lead in a chaotic fashion in the 19th minute. After a Diego Valeri corner kick was cleared away by the Galaxy, the Timbers had a pair of chances to put the ball back into the box. First Villafaña fired a shot toward goal that was deflected back out of the box and fell to Pablo Bonilla. The Timbers’ other fullback took his opportunity to fire a second shot into the box. This time the ball into the box found the head of Niezgoda for a snap header on goal. Niezgoda’s quick reactions were enough to beat Klinsmann again, putting the ball into the net and the Timbers up 2-0.

Niezgoda had a chance to complete his hat-trick in the 30th minute when the Timbers were sent to the spot for a handball in the Galaxy box, but instead, it was Diego Valeri who stepped up for the Timbers. The Maestro left no doubt as to who should be taking the Timbers’ penalties, striding up to the ball and hitting a powerful and precise shot that tucked perfectly between the post and the outstretched fingertips of the Galaxy keeper.

Now up 3-0, the Timbers were firmly in control for the remainder of the first half.

After cruising into half-time, the Timbers were given a rude reminder that Pavón is very, very good in the first minute of the second period. Moments after the restart, Sebastian Lletget, a half-time substitution, played a diagonal ball into the Timbers box. González was the first man to the ball, but let it run through his legs and onto Pavón in space. With the Timbers stepping toward González, Pavón was left to line up his shot and slam a simple finish past Steve Clark to get the Galaxy on the board.

In the wake of the Galaxy goal, it still took the Timbers several minutes to shake off the lethargy that had infected the team. As the second half continued, however, the Timbers shook it off and more.

In the 60th minute, Eryk Williamson received the ball from Niezgoda at the top of the Galaxy box and went on the dribble. Artfully cutting around his defender, he was in one on one with Klinsmann and, as the Galaxy keeper rushed off his line, Williamson picked out a simple finish to regain the Timbers’ three-goal lead.

Then, in the 74th minute, Andy Polo looked to top Williamson’s effort with a stunning goal of his own. A long ball from Chará on the Timbers’ left found Polo wide on the right. As the long ball fell to him, Polo took its measure and lined up a volley, hitting a spinning, dipping ball that swerved perfectly around Klinsman and inside the far post for the Timbers’ fifth goal of the night.

Although the game was fully over, the Galaxy did manage to grab back a second goal in the first minute of stoppage time. After a no-angle shot from González was parried away by Clark, the rebound fell to Pavón in front of goal for an easy finish, putting the final scoreline at 5-2.

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Timbers Wilt Under Pressure, Draw Seattle Sounders 1-1

After leading their match against the Seattle Sounders for 83 minutes and not giving up a single shot on goal in regulation time, the Portland Timbers once again fell apart in the final minutes of Thursday night’s Cascadia rivalry match. Despite a flying start, the Timbers left Seattle with only a single point after drawing 1-1.

The Timbers started the match strong, playing through the Seattle press with short, quick touches and runs that pulled their opponents out of position.

In the 10th minute, the Timbers made their early success in moving the ball count. After breaking out of their own end, the Timbers found Jorge Villafana out wide on the left flank. Villafana curled a ball into the box, finding the chest of Felipe Mora who, with a defender on his back, controlled the ball and laid it off for Yimmi Chara, making the trailing run. Yimmi received the ball and shot from the top of the Sounders box, forcing Stefan Frei into his first save of the match. Off The ensuing rebound fell to Andres Flores and the Timbers utility man took it first-time, crushing a return ball back on goal, past Frei, and into the back of the net.

The Timbers had a chance to extend their lead in the 16th minute when they opened the sounders up with another series of quick passes through the heart of the Seattle defense. After finding Villfana on the wing with a short pass, Yimmi made a darting run forward through the Sounders back line and was rewarded with a return pass from the fullback. Carrying the ball to the end line, Yimmi cut a pass back into the path of Diego Valeri who was crashing toward the near post. Valeri got a boot to the ball, but could not steer it on goal and instead put it out for a goal kick.

Late in the first half, the home side was able to wrest control of the game from the Timbers and put their visitors under pressure. Sending in cross after cross, the Sounders held the ball in the Timbers end for much of the final fifteen minutes of the half but could not find a shot on target.

The Sounders continued their push into the second half, but remained stymied by the Timbers stout defending and ability to work the ball out of danger.

After struggling to find chances throughout the match, Seattle came close to equalizing in the 76th minute. A rare midfield missed touch from Diego Chara off a Timbers corner led to a break for the Sounders with Jordan Morris streaking down the pitch. As Morris rushed toward goal, youngster Marco Farfan made a heroic effort to run him down, doing just enough to steer the USMNT star away from goal. Pulling up, Morris squeezed a cross around Farfan and found the run of Nico Lodeiro. As he arrived in the box, Lodeiro took the ball on the bounce and fired off a shot, but once again the effort was not on target and flew out for a goal kick.

Finally, in the 4th minute of second-half stoppage time, the Sounders got their first shot on goal; naturally, it ended up in the net. On a mystifying corner kick given up by Dario Zuparic, who fell on the ball while trying to shield it out for a goal kick, Lodeiro served in an in-swinging ball that found the head of Yeimar Gomez for a flick on to the back post where Will Bruin was lurking. Bruin peeled off the back of his defender, Zuparic, and got into space for the easy finish as Gomez’s header fell to him, snatching back a point for his team and leaving the Timbers wondering what had gone wrong.

 

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Portland Timbers Can’t Close, Draw 1-1 with LAFC

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

In a back-and-forth affair against LAFC on Sunday night, it was only fair that the Portland Timbers split the points with the visitors. Although the Timbers were able to grab the lead early in the second half, they faded late in the match and could not match the energy of LA in the final moments of the 1-1 draw.

The visitors set a frantic pace to start the match, pressing the Timbers all over the field and giving them little time to work their way into the game. With their passing so disrupted, the Timbers struggled to find chances on their home turf.

Instead, it was LAFC who came close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute, through none other than Bradley Wright-Phillips. A long ball down the middle of the pitch from Eduard Atuesta dropped perfectly into the path of BWP’s run behind the Timbers backline. Sticking a boot out, Wright-Phillips got a touch on the ball to help it toward goal, but the veteran goal-scorer could only direct it toward Steve Clark, who held the ground and made the required save.

The close call marked the Timbers’ entrance into the game as LAFC’s press faded and the home side found their footing.

Thus emboldened, the Timbers managed a chance of their own in the 15th minute as they nearly made the most of a series of passes around the LA box. Working the ball around the attacking end and moving the LAFC defense from one side of the pitch to the other, the Timbers finally found Felipe Mora just inside the box in a patch of space. As the recovering LA defenders scrambled toward him, Mora got off a shot just a moment too late, having it blocked off his boot.

As the half wore on, the Timbers took control of the match, keeping the visitors from making regular moves forward and, in the final minutes of the half, finding another series of chances for themselves.

In the 38th minute, the Timbers found Diego Valeri out wide on the right side of the LA box. Valeri quickly turned on the ball and clipped a curling ball across the face of goal. Valeri’s ball found a surging run into the center of the box from Mora, and the Timbers forward threw himself toward the ball, making solid contact and sending a powerful header on goal that Pablo Sisniega was forced to parry away.

Two minutes later the Timbers came even closer. A ball over the LA backline from Yimmi Chará dropped into Mora’s path and the Chilean controlled the ball with his head and pressed forward. With a defender pulling at his shirt, Mora stayed on his feet in the LAFC box and managed to get a shot off, but Sisniega, given time by the foul on Mora, was able to rush off his line and make the save.

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

Valeri managed a final first-half chance for the Timbers in the 43rd minute when he received the ball in space outside the LA box. Striding on to the ball, Valeri hammered a dipping shot on goal, but Sisniega was able to make a diving save to push the ball away.

The Timbers kept the momentum going into the second half and, just two minutes in, they found the opener. The chance started with a darting run toward the box from Chará, who checked his run and hit a square ball to Mora. Receiving the ball at the top of the box, Mora turned and continued its progress, finding Jeremy Ebobisse arriving on the right. Ebobisse took the ball in, touched it forward, and smashed a low shot on goal that Sisniega was able to get a touch on, but could not keep from splashing into the back of the net.

Now trailing, LAFC caught their breath and looked to fight their way back into the match.

Putting the Timbers on the back foot, LA got their first real chance to pull the match even in the 60th minute. After Mohamed El-Munir got around Jorge Villafaña on a driving run to the end line, the LA fullback cut a low ball back into the box for the run of Danny Musovski. As Musovski met the ball in the center of the Timbers box, he hit it first time, sending a shot through traffic that forced Clark to get low in order to parry the ball away. The rebound fell to winger Kwadwo Opoku, but the Ghanaian teen could not steer it on goal.

The Timbers came close to extending their lead in the 84th minute. With Eryk Williamson carrying the ball toward the LA box, Chará made a cutting run toward goal. Williamson saw Chará go and slipped a perfectly weighted pass into his path. Bringing the ball in with a defender hanging off his back, Chará got off a quick shot from close range, but Sisniega was able to get down and make the stop.

Sisniega’s saves would turn out to be the difference between three points and just one for the Timbers, as LAFC were able to find a stoppage-time equalizer in the 93rd minute. After a giveaway from the Timbers in the center of the pitch, Eddie Segura got on the ball in an advanced position and played a quick pass toward Opoku at the top of the box. Opoku spun on the ball, giving it a touch forward in the process and putting it into the path of Christian Torres. Running onto the ball and in on goal, Torres was able to finish one on one with Clark and draw the sides even at the last possible second.