The Portland Timbers kick off what the second part of their 2022 MLS season as they head down to Carson, California to face the LA Galaxy on the road.

The Timbers (3-6-6, 15 points) stand third from the bottom of the Western Conference after a disappointing opening three months of the MLS season. The Galaxy (7-5-2, 23 points) are in the thick of the fight for the top spots in the West.

Storylines So Far

LA ended affairs before the international break on a high note, when they thrashed a resurgent Austin FC to the tune of 4-1 victory at home. That win however was a reverse of fortunes for what LA had experienced so far, as they went winless in the three MLS games prior to their win over Austin. The Galaxy will be looking to continue the positive momentum they started to generate before the break this afternoon.

The Timbers meanwhile have been bereft of any kind of positive momentum whatsoever in the MLS season. They slid into the international break on the back of three straight defeats, which spoiled essentially any positivity the Timbers had pieced together in the Spring. The break gave Portland the opportunity to reset, refocus, and come back renewed in the search of getting their season off the ground.

Indeed, today’s match features the healthiest roster the Timbers have had to date in 2022. Claudio Bravo, Jaroslaw Niezgoda, and Eryk Williamson are all options for the Timbers. And Felipe Mora is be available to make his long awaited season debut after a long injury layoff.

How to watch

Location: Dignity Health Sports Park | Carson, CA

Time: 2:00 PM PST

Watch: ESPN

Radio: 750 The Game & LA GranD 93.5 FM

Pregame reading

• Alex took stock of the state of the Timbers after their poor start to 2022.
• Sam put together quotes and notes on the game in his match preview.
• Alex analyzed how the return of Felipe Mora could impact Portland’s attack.

Lineups

Portland Timbers

LA Galaxy