Portland Timbers help Galaxy get tie, 2-2

Before the Galaxy squared off against the Portland Timbers on Friday night, Galaxy star defender Omar Gonzalez took a bow on the StubHub Center field.

Gonzales, also a member of the U.S. national team, was back from the World Cup in Brazil. He wasn’t ready to rejoin the Galaxy yet but told the sold-out crowd of 27,000, “I’m happy to be home.”

The Galaxy then was happy to salvage a 2-2 draw with the Timbers, with the Galaxy’s tying goal coming courtesy of an own goal by Portland defender Rauwshan McKenzie.

And with the tie, the Galaxy (5-3-6) has now played six consecutive Major League Soccer games without a loss.

“We were sloppy throughout the game,” Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena said. “The effort was not consistent over the 90 minutes. I think we lost our concentration a little bit.”

In the 86th minute, the Galaxy’s Baggio Husidic lofted a chip shot directly in front of the goal and it bounced off McKenzie into the net for the Galaxy’s score.

After a scoreless first half, the Galaxy also got on the board first, in the 65th minute, when midfielder Marcelo Sarvas fired from just inside the 18-yard box into the far corner of the net.

But the Timbers (4-5-9) responded with two goals in three minutes.

Portland midfielder Diego Valeri kicked a liner just off the ground from 18 yards in the 67th minute. Traveling like a pitcher’s low fastball, Valeri’s shot sailed past diving Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo.

Portland scored again in the 70th minute when Jorge Villafana collected a loose ball and kicked a 12-yard grounder from in front of the goal that skipped past Penedo.

This was the second of three regular-season games between the Western Conference rivals and their second draw. They played to a 1-1 tie in Portland on May

11.

The scoreless first half was an exercise in frustration for both teams. The Galaxy passed the ball crisply in the midfield but struggled to find a man clear enough to take a shot at goal.

Galaxy forward Robbie Keane had one chance in the 11th minute and shot from 10 yards, but it traveled directly to Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.

Sarvas had the Galaxy’s best attempt in the half in the 15th minute when he kicked a curling, right-to-left shot from 15 yards. But the ball struck the far post and bounced away.

The Galaxy’s next game is July 12 when it hosts Real Salt Lake at StubHub Center.