Gage Guerra and Daniel Nuñez score braces to keep T2’s playoff hopes alive
PORTLAND, Ore. – Timbers2 rallied from a 2-0 early deficit by scoring five unanswered goals to beat LAFC 2 5-3 on Sunday afternoon at Providence Park. Gage Guerra opened the team's highest-scoring match of the season with a 26th-minute goal 10 minutes after going down 2-0. Daniel Nuñez and Guerra both recorded braces on the night and Timbers first team player Ian Smith delivered midway through the T2 onslaught to secure the 5-3 victory. With the result, Timbers2 are just 6 points back from playoff contention in the Western Conference with three regular season matches to play.
Double Trouble
Gage Guerra and Daniel Nuñez recorded a pair of braces in today's match. Guerra opened the scoring with a header off a corner kick. Nuñez followed with a goal assisted by Marquinhos after a textbook wall pass. Guerra completed his third brace of the season with a sharp move past a defender before rolling a low shot under the goalkeeper into the right corner in the 72nd minute. Less than two minutes later, Nuñez achieved the second brace of the day, converting after his initial attempt was blocked.
Goal-Scoring Plays
LAFC – Adam Saldaña, 10th minute: Adam Saldaña scored on his first touch inside the box, sending the ball into the bottom right of the goal.
LAFC – DeCarlo Guerra (Marius Aiyenero), 16th minute: DeCarlo Guerra shot from the top of the penalty arc to score in the top left corner.
POR – Gage Guerra (Marquinhos), 26th minute: Marquinhos’ curled his free kick towards the center of the box where Gage Guerra rose above the defenders and sent a header past the goalkeeper into the right side of the goal.
POR – Daniel Nuñez (Marquinhos), 53rd minute: Marquinhos set up Daniel Nuñez with a precise wall pass in the box, allowing Nuñez to sprint past his defender and score with a strong left-footed shot to the right side of the goal.
POR – Ian Smith, 64th minute: After the keeper dropped a shot attempt, Ian Smith scored into the right side of the goal with a left footed shot.
POR – Gage Guerra, 72nd minute: Gage Guerra drove past a defender into the left side of the box and precisely rolled the ball into the right corner under the keeper.
POR – Daniel Nuñez, 74th minute: After a blocked shot inside the box, Daniel Nuñez controlled the rebound and scored with a shot in the top right corner.
LAFC – Matt Evans (James Lane, Tommy Mihalić), 76th minute: Matt Evans received a ball in the box and shot into the top left of the goal.
Notes
- Timebrs2 recorded their highest score of the season with five.
- Portland rallied from a 2-0 early deficit by scoring five unanswered goals.
- Gage Guerra and Daniel Nuñez each recorded a brace tonight.
- It marked Guerra's third brace in 2025 and Nuñez's first.
- Gage Guerra scored his 10th and 11th goals of the season.
- Daniel Nuñez scored his second and third goals of the season.
- Ian Smith scored his first goal for T2.
- Marquinhos recorded his 3rd and 4th assists of the season.
- Timbers Academy product Max Deisenhofer recorded his first professional start.
- T2 has three matches left in the 2025 regular season.
- Timbers2’s final match at Providence Park will be played on Oct. 5 against St. Louis City2.
Next Game
Next up, Timbers2 travel to play Houston Dynamo 2 on Sunday, September 21, at SaberCats Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. (Pacific) and will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
Timbers2 (8-11-6, 32pts) vs. LAFC 2 (9-13-3 , 32pts)
September 14, 2025 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Scoring Summary:
LAFC: Saldaña, 10
LAFC: Guerra (Aiyenero), 16
POR: Guerra (Marquinhos), 26
POR: Nuñez (Marquinhos), 53
POR: Smith, 64
POR: Guerra, 72
POR: Nuñez, 74
LAFC: Evans (Lane, Mihalić), 76
Misconduct Summary:
LAFC: Evans (caution), 78
POR: Jura (caution), 79
POR: Gallardo (caution), 90+4
Lineups:
POR: GK Deisenhofer, D Jura, D Bamford, D Ondo, D Smith (White, 75), M E. Ezoita (Moreno, 65), M Enriquez ©, M Nuñez (J. Ezoita, 88), F Marquinhos (Gallardo, 75), F Pope (VanVoorhis, 65), F Guerra
Substitutes Not Used: GK Deutsch, D Garcia, F Zendejas, F Santos
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Guerra, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Guerra, 4); FOULS: 10 (Guerra, 3) ; OFFSIDES: 4 ; CORNER KICKS: 3 ; SAVES: 3
LAFC: GK Carter ©, D Nava, D C. Diaz, D E. Diaz, D Kaplan (Ponciano, 83), M Saldana, M Guerra (Terry, 71), M Moyado (Zambrano, 60), F Walters (Evans, 60), F Mihalić, F Aiyenero (Lane, 72)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Scally, D Santiago, D C. Diaz, F Arteaga
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Evans and Aiyenero, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Evans, 2); FOULS: 16 (five players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 2 ; CORNER KICKS: 2 ; SAVES: 3
Referee: Ivan De Cristofaro
Assistant Referees: Hunter Zachwieja, Cephas Quartson
Fourth Official: Christopher Calderon
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
