Denis Bouanga Bails Out LAFC With 1-1 Draw Against Portland Timbers

The clock read 79 minutes and BMO Stadium could already sense trouble brewing. Portland Timbers had gone ahead from the opening whistle and were not about to let the lead slip away easily. Then Denis Bouanga showed up again, saving the day for Los Angeles FC with a 1-1 draw that felt more like relief than celebration.

Most of the story was written in the opening minutes. Just 4 minutes had gone by when David Da Costa connected on a pass from Kristoffer Velde and finished to put the Timbers up 1-0. It was his third goal of the season, and for much of the night, it looked like it might be enough to secure all three points.

LAFC certainly tried, but ran into an inspired goalkeeper time and again. James Pantemis turned in a 10-save performance, five of them before halftime and four in the first 22 minutes alone. The Canadian keeper stood as the wall that kept the home side from leveling things sooner, and his showing was, without exaggeration, the difference between a win and a draw for Portland.

On the other end, Hugo Lloris also did his part between the posts, coming up with a key save that kept his team's hopes alive while the score remained unchanged.

Bouanga, right on time again

LAFC entered this match coming off two straight 1-0 losses, so the pressure to respond was already mounting. Just as the game started to feel like a third consecutive defeat in the making, the play that changed everything arrived: Jude Terry and Aaron Long combined to set up Bouanga, who finished in the 79th minute for his 11th goal of the season, sealing the final 1-1 scoreline.

The closing stretch had an extra twist. Portland forward Vincent Janssen, who had come on in the 69th minute, was sent off after picking up a second yellow card in the third minute of stoppage time, leaving the Timbers a man down right when they needed order at the back most. Even with the numerical advantage, LAFC could not force a second goal: Pantemis came up big once more, this time denying a Bouanga shot in the final minute of stoppage time to lock in the draw.

With the result, LAFC moved to 10 wins, 7 losses and 5 draws, while Portland improved to 8-9-4 and extended its strong recent form to 4 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws over its last seven matches. The all-time series still favors the Timbers, who also won the last time they visited BMO Stadium, and now lead the historic head-to-head 7 to 6, with 8 draws.

Both teams are back in action Saturday: Portland hosts Austin FC at home, while Los Angeles FC travels to face D.C. United looking to get back on track after a rocky stretch.