Carlos Vela hand a hand in his side's first three goals before scoring the fourth himself as LAFC cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Portland Timbers on Sunday evening at Banc of California Stadium.
Mark-Anthony Kaye, Christian Ramirez and Adama Diomande also scored for LAFC, who have opened their season with home victories over both clubs that reached last year's Western Conference Championship.
Defender Steven Beitashour exited with an apparent injury after 30 minutes for the hosts, and Kaye may also have picked up a knock that forced his 70th-minute departure.
Jeremy Ebobisse contributed his first goal of the season for Portland, who are now two games into a league-record 12 matches on the road to begin the 2019 campaign before returning to an expanded and renovated Providence Park.
Timbers midfielder Diego Chara picked up his second caution late in the match, and was sent off for the first time since May 20 of 2017. It was his first-ever ejection via a second yellow card in 234 MLS appearances.
Goals
- 14' - LAFC - Mark-Anthony Kaye | WATCH
- 29' - POR - Jeremy Ebobisse | WATCH
- 45' - LAFC - Christian Ramirez | WATCH
- 65' - LAFC - Adama Diomande | WATCH
- 68' - LAFC - Carlos Vela | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Despite their impressive results to open the season, its worth remembering the kind of glittering victories LAFC also posted at times last season. En route to finishing third in the Western Conference table last season, LAFC scored three goals or more in eight of their 16 victories, and four more in seven of those wins. As for Portland, they also earned only two points in a five-match start on the road in 2018, but then assembled a 15-match unbeaten run that began with their home opener.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: After fueling LAFC's first three goals, Vela saved the best for last with this expert finish for his first goal of 2019, after posting 14 in his club's expansion 2018 season. Not to be overshadowed, Diomande deserves credit for a quality assist during the buildup.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Vela was outstanding almost from the opening kick, and offered the kind of multi-faceted production that has become more common in his game of late. In the past 10 league matches dating back to last season, has contributed multiple goals-plus assists four times.
Up Next
- LAFC: Sunday, March 17 at New York City FC (3 pm ET | FS1, MLS LIVE on DAZN)
- POR: Sunday, March 17 at FC Cincinnati (5 pm ET | FS1, MLS LIVE on DAZN)
