Wednesday afternoon saw scattered clouds swim across mostly blue skies above Los Angeles, where LAFC and the Portland Timbers focused on their upcoming seasons by playing a closed-door friendly inside empty BMO Stadium.
The Timbers, who have been training nearby in Orange County over the last few days, placed a familiar starting eleven on the field at kickoff, including goalkeeper and former LAFC standout Max Crépeau, and two forwards who combined to score 30 goals in ’24, Felipe Mora and Jonathan Rodríguez.
Both teams shifted personnel throughout the day with more than 40 players taking the pitch for managers Steve Cherundolo and Phil Neville, who prioritized fitness over tactical preparations as they build toward their respective MLS regular-season openers on the weekend of Feb. 22.
LAFC held possession for long spells in both halves, with Denis Bouanga and Olivier Giroud each firing first-half shots just wide of goal, and Mark Delgado scoring on a header (set up by a clever flick from Giroud) that was waved off by the offside flag. On the last touch of the first half, Ryan Hollingshead tapped in the day’s only goal following a flurry of shots that were parried away by his former teammate Crépeau.
Most of LAFC’s starting eleven stayed on for the second-half kickoff, with Bouanga applying his trademark constant pressure as if he were playing in a final instead of a friendly. About ten minutes in, the Black & Gold did a full shift change with 11 men taking the field who hadn’t been on it for the opening kick. Forward Jeremy Ebobisse, newly arrived from San Jose, led the front line, flanked by LAFC2’s top goal scorer from a year ago, Adrian Wibowo, and young first-team winger Nathan Ordaz. Sixteen-year-old LAFC Academy product Jude Terry, who last month signed the eighth Homegrown contract in LAFC history, manned central midfield.
A new four-man back line of Lorenzo Dellavalle, Nkosi Tafari, Marlon Santos, and Yaw Yeboah protected goalkeeper David Ochoa, who had come on for Lloris at halftime.
A well-struck drive from Ordaz required a diving save from the Portland keeper. On the ensuing corner, a volleyed missile off Yeboah’s right foot fizzed just wide of goal. LAFC appeared content to hold the ball and work on its possession patterns in lieu of constantly attacking goal, although Ebobisse and Wibowo found their way in and fired two shots off the gloves of the diving Portland keeper.
For LAFC, the friendly coincided with its annual Media Day, with players ducking into the suites inside BMO Stadium throughout the afternoon for various interviews and photo shoots.
Next week, both clubs will move inland to the Coachella Valley Invitational, where LAFC will play against MLS Eastern Conference side Chicago Fire on Wednesday, Feb. 5 after an earlier closed-door match against Phoenix Rising FC of the USL Championship on Sunday, Feb. 2 (a match that is not part of CVI). Tickets for all CVI games are available HERE.
LAFC begins its 2025 season on the road against the Colorado Rapids in Concacaf Champions Cup action on Feb. 18. The Black & Gold opens MLS regular-season play on Feb. 22 against Minnesota United at BMO Stadium. Season ticket information. Single-game ticket info.
