CARSON, Calif. – Ola Kamara was all smiles after a banner debut with the LA Galaxy on Sunday evening.
Kamara scored as Los Angeles opened the 2018 campaign with a 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers in front of a sell-out crowd at StubHub Center. The 28-year-old forward opened his account with a tally in the first half and was unlucky not to score several more times as he tested the Timbers back four.
“He’s constantly a threat to get in behind the opponent’s defense,” head coach Sigi Schmid said postgame. “He also combined well and played some people on, so I was very pleased with his play.”
The Norwegian striker proved to be a threat right out of the gate as he nearly put Los Angeles ahead inside the first 10 minutes of the match. He finally broke through in the 32nd minute with an opportunistic goal off a Rolf Feltscher cross as he chested the pass into the back of the Portland net.
“It was such a great feeling,” Kamara said of his tally, his first in a Galaxy uniform and his 35th goal in three years in Major League Soccer. “Unbelievable.”
Signed in the offseason to bring goals to a Galaxy attack that was starved for attacking pop a year ago, Kamara couldn’t contain his emotions after a banner debut—even admitting that the positive start is a sign of good things to come for Los Angeles.
“There was a big buildup to this game and we really needed the three points to show that it’s very difficult to beat us here [at StubHub Center],” Kamara said. “We’re probably going to win a lot of games here. I think we proved a statement.”
