A sensational free kick by Mo Jadama lifted T2 past the Monarchs and just two points back of New Mexico United for first place in the Western Conference, while the Galaxy II surged back with a late rally to earn a draw with the Defiance.

CARSON, Calif. – Los Dos scored twice in the final five minutes to rally back and earn a point against the Defiance at Dignity Health Sports Park. Tacoma took the lead in just the fourth minute as former Galaxy II player Justin Dhillon latched onto a long ball forward and got in behind the defense before rounding the goalkeeper and finishing. Jesse Daley then doubled the Defiance’s lead in the 21st minute as he fired home a shot from the top of the penalty area into the top-left corner of the net. Tacoma goalkeeper Bryan Meredith kept it a two-goal game with 20 minutes to go as he saved a penalty kick by Juninho for the Galaxy II, but the hosts continued to apply pressure late on and it finally told with three minutes to go when Frank Lopez headed home a chipped through-ball by Jose Hernandez to pull a goal back. Brian Iloski then scored his second goal in as many games with a low shot to the bottom-left corner from the top of the penalty area in the 90th minute to earn the hosts a share of the points.

USLChampionship Man of the Match

Brian Iloski, LA Galaxy II – Iloski put in a strong two-way shift as he recorded four key passes before his late equalizer and won 12 of 20 duels while completing 33 of 41 passes in midfield.

PORTLAND, Ore. – T2 rallied from a halftime deficit to take victory against the Monarchs to move into second place in the Western Conference standings. The Monarchs almost took the lead in just the third minute when Konrad Plewa’s header off a corner bounced over the crossbar, but the visitors went ahead eight minutes before halftime as Douglas Martinez curled home a fine first-time finish off a feed by Masta Kacher that picked out the top-right corner. Portland hit back in the 63rd minute, however, as Dairon Asprilla notched his sixth goal of the season as he cleaned up the rebound after Marvin Loria had hit the right post from close range. Loria went close for the hosts four minutes later as his shot from distance flashed just wide of the top-left corner, but in the 70th minute Modou Jadama produced a tremendous free kick to the top-left corner that put T2 ahead. Portland almost added a third with three minutes to go as Brayan Hurtado forced Monarchs goalkeeper Alex Horwath into a good save, but T2 wouldn’t need an insurance goal as it won for the second time in the last three games.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Modou Jadama, Portland Timbers 2 – Jadama linked play consistently in the back line as he completed 56 of 63 passes and produced a world-class free kick that lifted his side to victory.