LA Galaxy's season might go 'timber' even more this weekend

Four wins, three draws and just two losses. That record is currently good enough for 4th place in the MLS Western Conference after the Easter weekend.

That record also does not belong to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Their opponent this Saturday, the Portland Timbers, are just a few points behind Minnesota United FC, Austin FC and first-place Vancouver Whitecaps.

The six-time MLS Cup winners are a combined 0-2-2 in games against the those top four teams so far this year. They will have a chance to add the first win of the regular season when Portland comes to Carson, California in the second of two meetings between the clubs.

Why the LA Galaxy's season could 'timber' even further

After losing just eight games last season, few expected the defending MLS champions to struggle. Given the number of new faces added this winter (Mathias Jorgensen, Axel Essengue, Christian Ramirez, Lucas Sanabria, and more), in addition to several injuries faces (Riqui Puig, Joseph Paintsil, Maya Yoshida, Marco Reus among others), a shaky start to the 2025 regular season was to be expected.

Going winless after the team's first nine games was not. A fourth of the season in and the LA Galaxy are looking for victories as hard as they are answers.

"We're motivated more than ever to continue to try to dig ourselves out of this hole, and we know that this is a long season. But it's time to start putting results together. So we're motivated to comeback home with 11 men and put that kind of performance in to get a result that ends with a W and three points."

Eriq Zavaleta, LA Galaxy defender

While Portland sits at the fourth best team in the conference, the Los Angeles Galaxy have allowed the fourth-most goals this season. They have given up 16 goals, tied with Atlanta United.

The LA Galaxy's scoring has produced a meager six goals this season. That's tied for worst in the Western Conference and second-worst overall in the league. St Louis City SC also has six goals to date.

The Timbers were limited to a 1-1 draw in their home stadium by the LA Galaxy in March. Portland is unbeaten since that game. Despite being shutout 0-0 against Austin FC, the Timbers have scored 10 goals in the past four games.

In order for the LA Galaxy to win, it quite possibly will take their strongest offensive showing to date. Head coach Greg Vanney has yet to get more than two goals out of his team in any game this year.

Leading scorer Christian Ramirez has three goals on the year, half of the team's total. Look for him to score up top again like in last month's game. It will take more than just him if the LA Galaxy look to end this winless streak.

The LA Galaxy and Portland Timbers split home games a season ago. At best, Vanney and his players look for the same result this weekend.