Whenever the Portland Timbers and LAFC face off, as they will Sunday in a Week 2 closer at Banc of California Stadium (10 pm ET | FS1, FOX Deportes), fireworks seem to follow.
Matchups between the sides have been consistently competitive since LAFC's MLS entry in 2018, with the Timbers holding a narrow 5W-4L-4D edge in terms of results. They're typically high-scoring contests, too, with the clubs combining for an average of 3.2 goals per game and just one scoreless draw across those 13 matches.
With the qualifier that they're not quite full-on derbies on the same level as Portland's Cascadia rivalry with Seattle Sounders FC or LAFC's El Trafico fixtures against the LA Galaxy, Timbers head coach Gio Savarese agreed that matches against LAFC have evolved into a formidable Western Conference rivalry in their own right.
"I agree to the fact that our games [with LAFC] have built up in a different way," Savarese said on Friday. "They have become a little more competitive than other matches for different reasons. And I think they might be sometimes a little more physical sometimes, they are played at a high intensity. Every game has been competitive enough to be exciting for the fans, for the players. Ultimately there's always been a respect between the players, but once the game is going on, these matches have been always competitive, either here in Portland or in LA."
Added Portland defender Zac McGraw, a starter in last weekend's 2-2 draw with New England: "I think every game we've played with them since I've been here have been very high-intensity, goals on each end, coming back from behind. It's just the whole 90 minutes, it's who can capitalize on opportunities, who minimizes mistakes. I think obviously we play once home, once away, and they're a great team, we're a good team. So it's a battle, it's a rivalry, I think, in every capacity."
LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead, in his first year with the Black & Gold, said that the week's preparation leading up to Sunday's match left him feeling similarly.
The veteran left back was part of many Western Conference clashes against the Timbers during his lengthy tenure at FC Dallas, leaving him familiar with Portland's vaunted counterattacks.
"We did some video today and the coaches had some choice words for sure, so I could pick up on the tension there, the rivalry," said Hollingshead. "Portland's one of those teams that everybody feels like they're a rival with a little bit because the way they play, they're so strong, they do what they do really well, big-time counterattacking team, which can be difficult, especially for a team like us here. So, there's a lot of things to focus, our preventative defense is huge in this game, sustaining the attack, on the break, on the counter-attack is going to be huge.
"But we know them well. I've been in the league for a long time playing against them. They've played the same style for years now. I know a lot of the guys here, the coaches here have been playing against them for a long time. So we'll be ready. We know what to expect."
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo also cited that level of continuity as a factor that makes matches against Portland difficult.
The matchup with the defending Western Conference Champions should provide his team with a strong early-season test as they look to build off a fantastic Week 1 result that saw LAFC dominate the Colorado Rapids 3-0, powered by a hat trick from star attacker Carlos Vela.
"I think maybe [Portland's] biggest quality is that they've been together with the same coach for about four years now, so they're very set in their ways and they understand each other extremely well and that's something that's always ready to break down," Cherundolo said.
"One of the boxes on my whiteboard in my office that I've talked about is forming a group who are strong, and strong together," he added. "And I've seen many examples of that already in preseason, and last weekend as well at home. So I am not concerned at all that our team will not be up for the challenge and up for the fight. Everybody on the field Sunday knows Portland extremely well and has played against them before. So it won't be a matter of us not knowing what's coming our way, it's literally just a matter of performing on game day. I'm confident that our players will be in the right state of mind to handle what Portland throws our way."
