Portland Timbers vs LAFC Live: Kickoff Time, How to Watch, Key Matchups & Real-Time Score Updates

BMO Stadium turns into a Western Conference pressure cooker on Friday night when Los Angeles FC host the Portland Timbers in a matchup with playoff-seeding implications. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. PT (10:30 p.m. ET), with the game streaming exclusively on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV and carried on ESPN LA 710 AM, KFWB 980 AM (Spanish) and 750 The Game in Portland. Form guide and stakes • LAFC: 10-5-6 (36 pts), fifth in the West, unbeaten in 13 of their last 14 league matches. • Portland: 9-7-7 (34 pts), sixth place, just two points back but having played two more games. With only nine regular-season fixtures left after Friday, the winner gains a vital tiebreak edge in the race for a top-four home-playoff berth. Key storylines New-look LAFC back line: Captain Aaron Long is out for the season (ACL) and Eddie Segura is suspended, leaving Nkosi Tafari and rookie Kenny Nielsen to anchor a unit that has already conceded the third-fewest goals in the West. Can Portland break the drought? Phil Neville’s side has managed just 12 goals in its past 13 league outings after winger Antony (6 G, 7 A) injured a hamstring. Felipe Mora and Kevin Kelsy haven’t scored in MLS play since early May, but the Timbers have still found the net in 16 straight meetings with LAFC. Bouanga’s golden boot chase: Denis Bouanga (13 G, 7 A) returns from the All-Star Game and could become the first player in MLS history with three consecutive 20-goal seasons if he bags seven more. Head-to-head snapshot • All-time MLS record: LAFC 6W-5L-7D vs Portland. • First meeting in 2025: wild 3-3 draw at Providence Park on 19 April. • Goals guaranteed: the clubs have combined for 3.22 goals per match in their last nine clashes. Projected line-ups LAFC (4-3-3): Lloris; Palacios, Tafari, Nielsen, Hollingshead; Tillman, Delgado, Sánchez; Bouanga, Vela, Olivera. Timbers (4-2-3-1): Ivacic; Bravo, McGraw, Miazga, Mosquera; Paredes, Araujo; Fernández, Moreno, Antony*; Mora. (*if fit; otherwise Rodríguez starts) Injury/suspension report LAFC – OUT: Long (knee). SUSP: Segura (red card). Portland – QUESTIONABLE: Antony (hamstring). Tactical preview • Transition vs patience: LAFC’s lightning-quick counter spearheaded by Bouanga will test Portland’s full-backs, while the Timbers will try to slow tempo through double pivots Paredes and Araujo. • Set-piece chess: Both sides rank top-six in set-piece goals; watch Vela’s inswingers vs Portland’s towering center backs. • Midfield duel: Delgado’s box-to-box energy clashes with Fernández’s late runs that already rescued a 92nd-minute equalizer last week. How to watch and stream • Streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (no blackouts, Spanish and English feeds). • Radio: ESPN LA 710 AM/ESPN LA App, KFWB 980 AM (Spanish); Portland 750 The Game, KGDD 93.5 FM/1520 AM (Spanish). • Out-of-market fans: join one of 70+ Timbers Pub Partners from Portland to Tokyo or the LAFC watch party on Figueroa. Betting odds & prediction Sportsbooks list LAFC as –145 favorites, Portland +350, Draw +275. Given LAFC’s home dominance (7-1-2) and Portland’s road struggles (3-5-2), expect the Black & Gold to edge a high-scoring affair. Prediction: LAFC 3, Portland 2 — Bouanga brace, Mora snaps his drought but visitors fall just short. SEO quick hits Keywords: “Portland Timbers vs LAFC live stream”, “LAFC vs Portland kickoff time”, “Timbers lineup vs LAFC”, “how to watch LAFC match”, “MLS Western Conference standings”. Sprinkle these terms when sharing on social, Google News, and fan forums to maximize reach.