LAFC shuts out Portland to advance in U.S. Open Cup

LOS ANGELES — Making it look easy against an opponent that almost always pushes them to their limits, the Los Angeles Football Club continued its stellar play with a clear victory over the Portland Timbers on Tuesday.

The resounding 2-0 result over their west coast rivals advanced LAFC into the Round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup tournament.

Goals from Cristian Arango and Mamadou Fall, and six saves from adventurous LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, kept the Black & Gold in charge for the duration of their third Open Cup meeting with the Timbers.

Crepeau’s first Open Cup start for LAFC came two days before his 28th birthday. His man-of-the-match performance, thanks to the aforementioned saves and a frolicking style that included several challenges far away from goal, earned a birthday serenade from The 3252 supporters group after the final whistle.

Starting on the other side of the field, former Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham had compiled a 4-2-3 record against LAFC before moving to the Pacific Northwest. For the second time in four days, Portland head coach Gio Savarese gave him the start.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper from Castro Valley, Calif., could have kept LAFC off the board in the opening 45 minutes were it not for a beautiful sequence near the half-hour mark that finished with Arango’s third goal in all competitions this season.

A Jose Cifuentes corner kick 32 minutes into the match was cleared outside the box to Fall, who patiently held the ball at his feet while forward Mahala Opoku circled around a group of Timbers defenders.

Fall’s perfectly weighted pass toward the end line allowed Mahala time and space to pass the ball to Arango, who flicked a back-heeled shot between Bingham and the near post for a lead LAFC did not relinquish.

LAFC ramped up the pressure for the remainder of the first half, but Bingham’s four saves kept his side in the match heading to the locker room.