Timbers Lose First Home Game, Acosta's Goal Sees D.C. United Keep Top Spot in East
Los Angeles FC 3, Portland Timbers 2
PORTLAND, Ore. — Carlos Vela had a goal and an assist in the first half to lead Los Angeles FC past the Portland Timbers 3-2 on Saturday.
Vela, Major League Soccer's goals and assists leader, helped LAFC (11-1-4) fend off Portland's late rally to end the Timbers' 15-game win streak in home openers.
Vela scored in the 6th minute after intercepting a pass from Portland goalkeeper Jeff Attinella. He found Diego Rossi on a cross for a goal that made it 2-0 in the 34th minute
Portland didn't go away. Christhian Paredes scored less than two minutes into the second half on a goalkeeper deflection as the Timbers pulled within a goal. But LAFC's Latif Blessing countered in the 54th minute with a wide-open volley off of a cross.
Brian Fernandez scored on a bicycle kick inside the six-yard box to pull Portland within 3-2 in the 85th minute. It was Fernandez's fourth goal in three appearances with the Timbers since he was acquired as a designated player on May 6.
It was the first home game of the season for the Timbers (4-7-2) and the debut of the remodeled Providence Park. According to the club, the expansion added 4,137 seats in a grandstand on the stadium's east side to push capacity over 25,000. MLS commissioner Don Garber was in attendance among the sellout crowd of 25,218.
Vela has 16 goals and 10 assists this season, six goals ahead of the next-highest scorer.
LAFC has scored a league-high 39 goals.
LAFC is in first place in the Western Conference and boasts one of the best records in the league. The Timbers, who made the MLS Cup final last season, went 4-6-2 in its first 12 games on the road.
D.C. United 1, San Jose Earthquakes 1
WASHINGTON — Luciano Acosta scored a putback in the 67th minute and D.C. United finished with a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.
Earthquakes goalkeeper Daniel Vega made some outstanding saves throughout the match, but Acosta took advantage of the one that rebounded with an immediate scoring opportunity for United (7-4-6).
Chris Wondolowski gave the Earthquakes (5-6-3) the lead in the 37th minute, sneaking around the defender Jalen Robinson to get space to head home Nick Lima's cross.
Atlanta United 2, Chicago Fire 0
ATLANTA — Josef Martinez scored twice in the first half to help Atlanta United beat the Chicago Fire 2-0 on Saturday.
Martinez opened the scoring for Atlanta (8-5-2) in the 12th minute. Gonzalo ''Pity'' Martinez slotted a pass forward in the middle of the penalty area and Josef Martinez put it into the back of the net.
Josef Martinez finished a breakaway from the top of the 18-yard box to make it 2-0 in the 43rd minute. He has 10 goals this season.
Atlanta United rebounded from back-to-back losses with back-to-back wins and has won seven of its last nine.
The Fire (4-6-6) announced during that game that 20-year-old midfielder Djordje Mihailovic was called into camp with the U.S. Men's National Team ahead of the Wednesday night friendly against Jamaica in Washington.
