For the Portland Timbers, it’s becoming a broken record as for the third straight game, they failed to hold onto an early lead, and once again collapsed in the final 10 minutes and end up on the short end of a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy. It is the fourth straight loss for the Timbers in their MLS history, the first time they have lost four in a row.
A pretty even match became a Timbers lead in the 23rd minute when a close but apparently onside run from Kris Boyd off a pass from Eric Alexander had the Timbers striker in alone against former Timber Josh Saunders. Boyd slid a low shot into the bottom right corner from 20 yards out, and the Timbers had the 1-0 lead.
Shortly afterwards, the Timbers appeared to have taken a 2-0 lead when another close offside call this time went against the Timbers on a spectacular shot by Boyd.
As with the previous home game against Chivas USA, the Timbers gave up a late first half goal to wipe their early lead, this time when Eric Brunner slipped while guarding Robbie Keane, and the Galaxy striker found Landon Donovan open in the box, and he finished easily to make the score 1-1 at the break.
The Timbers appeared to have a good chance to leave LA with a point, but once again the 80th minute spelled doom for the Timbers, as Juninho blasted in a long shot that slipped just inside the left post in the 83rd minute to give the Galaxy the 2-1 lead. The Galaxy secured the win in stoppage time when David Beckham hit a spectacular dipping shot from 25 yards out that slipped just under the crossbar for the 3-1 final.
http://www.portlandtimbers.com/news/2012/04/recap-late-goals-propel-la-home-win-over-portland
