As of Saturday night’s conclusion, LAFC remained in third position in the Western Conference.

With next week’s El Trafico rematch against the LA Galaxy looming (Saturday, 10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass), the Black and Gold are aiming to right the ship after suffering their third consecutive MLS defeat, a 2-0 setback to the Timbers.

“We’re in a negative moment… things are, in the offensive end, really difficult for us,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherudolo stated after the game. The team is having trouble scoring goals and committing defensive mistakes at the individual level. Our half-chances on the attacking end are not being converted, and our every misstep is being punished.

The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is still in a good position to qualify for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. However, other clubs are within striking distance, threatening to derail their chances of remaining at the top of the rankings.

With goals from Larrys Maibala (in the 28th minute) and Claudio Bravo (in the 53rd minute), the Timbers continued their downward trend on the road in Portland on Saturday. The reigning MLS Cup winners have now gone eight games without a victory, scoring zero goals in their past two games against Charlotte FC and Inter Miami CF.

Cherundolo, on the other hand, feels confident in his team’s chances of turning the tables.

Basically, it is what it is, Cherundolo told the team after the game. Put your head down, get to work, learn from your errors, and make adjustments so that you may emerge stronger. I’ve seen a group that’s up for the task, and they have my full support.

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