Walker Zimmerman had the game winning goal for LAFC against Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.
By Ivan Yeo
The theme for LAFC so far in 2019; a flair for the dramatic.
In three of its first four games this season, LAFC has provided plenty of drama. There was its opening week win against Sporting Kansas City where a stoppage time goal by Adama Diomande enabled LAFC to escape with a come-from-behind victory, and just last week, LAFC erased two one-goal leads on the road against New York City FC to earn the draw.
Saturday night against Real Salt Lake turned out to be no different than those aforementioned games. Playing against each other for the first time since last year’s Wild Card round playoff matchup, both teams again displayed the theater that was on display on that November night. However, this time, it was LAFC that came out on top, as Walker Zimmerman’s stoppage time goal enabled LAFC to avenge last year’s playoff loss with a 2-1 win.
“Difficult game for sure,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said. “A good win on a night that you know, especially when you go down, that it’s not going to be an easy game.”
Heading into stoppage time, LAFC appeared headed for a split of the points, but LAFC had the ball and quickly marched towards RSL’s goal. Niko Hamalainen sprinted inside through the RSL defense, played a ball to Walker Zimmerman who let go a blast from about 25 yards out that dipped in at just the right time, and the ball snuck in at Zimmerman’s near post, strangely without any resistance from Nick Rimando. It is debatable whether or not the ball hit off the left foot of defender Erik Holt, who had stuck his foot out to defend the play, not that it mattered one bit to LAFC.
“A little more stressful, but a win is a win and three points is three points,” Zimmerman said. “This was a big game for us. In order to do what we want to do this year and accomplish what we want to accomplish, you have to win those types of games.”
RSL got a break in the 33rd minute which enabled them to get out to the lead. Tate Schmitt dribbled with the ball inside, played a ball to Sebastian Saucedo, who then dribbled into the penalty area. Latiff Blessing first defended Schmitt, then quickly rushed to cover Saucedo, but Blessing instead made contact with Saucedo, causing him to go to the turf, which referee Ismail Elfath with the quick decision to award RSL the penalty. Two minutes later, Damir Kreilach converted the penalty to put RSL in front.
LAFC however had their response in the 40th minute. Eduard Atuesta played a ball to Carlos Vela, who then sent a ball forward to Blessing just outside the penalty area. Blessing tried to find Diomande, who had gotten behind the Salt Lake defense, defender Danny Toia sent the pass back, but Diego Rossi trailed the play and turned out the be in the right place at the right time, as he swooped in and got a one-timer off despite the attempts of two RSL defenders to close the space, Rossi beat them and Rimando near post for the equalizer.
Throughout the first half, it appeared if some of the drama and tension from last year’s playoff match between the two teams had not subsided. Both teams committed their fair share of hard tackles and fouls, a brief scrum developed as a result of one of those fouls and the two teams combined to draw five yellow cards, with RSL coming out the winner (or loser depending on how you put it) with three of the five yellows. LAFC then caught a break in the 84th minute, when after clearing out an RSL chance, Diego Rossi sprinted down the field with the ball before playing a ball forward, Justin Portillo tried to defend Rossi, but went a little to far, as he struck Rossi in the face, and referee Elfath made another big decision, opting to send Portillo, who had entered the match back in the 75th minute, off with a straight red.
LAFC
MLS
