Galaxy 5 - 3 Timbers
Final
  for this game

L.A. sweeps Portland in eight-goal thriller

Jul 15, 2012 - 5:19 AM Portland, OR (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Galaxy made it a clean sweep of the Portland Timbers this season, taking maximum points from the Rose City club after coming out on top of a 5-3 thriller at Jeld-Wen Field on Saturday.

Los Angeles entered the match having already taken six points from two matches against Portland this term, edging the Timbers 3-1 at The Home Depot Center on April 14 and again by a 1-0 score on June 17.

Saturday's affair was much more open as David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Kris Boyd all produced braces in the eight-goal thriller. Landon Donovan added one from the penalty spot for the Galaxy while Kosuke Kimura chipped in with an additional goal for the Timbers.

Los Angeles (8-10-2) earns its second straight win to improve to 26 points on the season, slowly creeping up the Western Conference table. The Galaxy retain fifth place but now sit just four points shy of fourth place.

Portland (5-9-4) falls into a tie with FC Dallas for last place in the West after the Texas club claimed a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday. The two sides are deadlocked on 19 points apiece.

Portland got off to a cracking start, opening the scoring in just the third minute.

Kalif Alhassan collected a pass wide on the right flank and whipped an early ball into the box. Boyd slipped in front of his mark and flicked a one-time effort at the near post into the back of the net, leaving Josh Saunders no chance at a save.

Los Angeles responded sensationally, notching four goals in the span of nine minutes.

Beckham capped some intricate passing play in the 19th minute with a curling shot that beat Troy Perkins from 30 yards out.

The Englishman completed his brace moments later in typical Beckham fashion, bending a free kick over the wall and just inside the post for his fifth goal of the season.

Los Angeles was awarded a penalty kick three minutes later when Kimura barged into Michael Stephens in the box. Donovan converted the ensuing kick to bring his season total to seven goals.

Donovan turned provider immediately after the restart, breaking free on the right flank and sliding a lovely ball across the face of goal where Keane was arriving to tuck it home.

Kimura atoned for his earlier mistake by cutting the deficit in half in the 34th minute. Saunders denied Boyd on a powerful free kick shot from distance, but Kimura smashed home the rebound for his second goal of the season.

Both sides came out firing in the second half, creating a plethora of scoring chances in a wide open game.

Los Angeles bagged the opening goal of the second period as Keane completed his brace in the 64th minute. The Irishman nodded home a cross from Sean Franklin to overtake Donovan for the team scoring lead, improving to eight goals on the season.

Boyd responded with a brace of his own as a powerful free kick from the Scotland international needed a slight deflection to get past Saunders.

Both sides return to action with road matches on Wednesday. Portland heads to The Home Depot Center to take on Chivas USA while Los Angeles squares off with Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place.






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