Photo courtesy of LAFC.
Cristian Arango got LAFC’s Saturday afternoon going with a goal from the penalty spot.
One way to describe Saturday afternoon’s match between LAFC and the San Jose Earthquakes; quick strikes.
LAFC scored two goals in a span of 13 mintutes, then surprisingly watched as the Quakes scored two of their own inside a 15-minute span to level matters. Fortunately for LAFC, they had one more quick strike in them, as his goal just two minutes into the second half vaulted LAFC back in front, and that was all they needed, as they head into a long international break 3-2 at Banc of California Stadium.
“My message to the group at the end was, the maturity we showed in the second half, not making any mistakes and not beating ourselves is something we have to do 90 minutes if you want to win something in this game,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “I didn’t have any feeling at any point in the game that we were going to lose the game. We were always in control and that was a good feeling.”
Aside from Rodriguez’s winning goal, LAFC also got big performances from Jose Cifuentes, who had a hand in LAFC’s two goals, and Ryan Hollingshead, who scored a goal, but drew a foul inside the penalty area that led to LAFC’s firs goal. LAFC not only overcame a brace from San Jose’s Jeremy Ebobisse, but also put behind the bad feeling of Wednesday’s US Open Cup loss at the hands of the LA Galaxy.
“The truth is that it was a hard blow for everyone,” Rodriguez said of the match against the Galaxy. “I think playing well today was very important. We are going to take advantage of this FIFA break to rest. No one wants to lose a game, but that’s soccer. I was very sad about the game and in the locker room a lot of sadness was also seen within my teammates.”
LAFC opened the scoring from the penalty spot. Jose Cifuentes played a ball into the penalty area. Latiff Blessing came in and played a ball backwards towards the top of the six-yard box. Hollingshead looked to attempt a shot, but was tripped by Jan Gregus, who chipped Hollingshead in his cleat from behind, and referee Ismail Elfath blew his whistle and signaled for the penalty spot. Cristian Arango stepped up the spot. Arango started off with a stutter. then took a giant step before sending the shot past keeper James Marcinkowski to the right, while Marcinkowski guessed wrong, in the seventh minute.
LAFC quickly doubled its lead just six minutes later. Mamadou Fall played Cifuentes into the penalty area. Cifuentes crossed towards the six. Rodriguez collected the ball at the top line of the six, drew a crowd inside the penalty area before he played a back pass to Hollingshead, who took a quick touch before firing a left-footed shot that beat Marcinkowski near post and just like that, LAFC was up 2-0.
However, just as quickly as LAFC jumped on San Jose, the Quakes were just as quick to get themselves off the mat. San Jose pulled a goal back in the 16th minute as Jamiro Montero pressured Francisco Ginella into a turnover deep in LAFC territory. The ball went to the feet of Ebobisse, who then backheeled a ball into the penalty area, Montero quickly passed to Ebobisse, who after a touch bounced a left-footed shot past keeper Maxie Crepeau to get the Quakes on the board. Ebobisse found the back net again in the 31st minute, and in almost the same exact circumstance. Cristian Espinoza sent a corner kick into the penalty area and again Ebobisse bounced a one-timer off his left foot, and the result was the same, as the ball bounced past Crepeau into the back net near post for an unlikely equalizer.
There was plenty of time for one last lightning strike, and it came from LAFC just a minute into the second half. Ilie Sanchez intercepted a ball and sent Cifuentes forward. Cifuentes played a ball into the six-yard box, Rodriguez came in and slotted the left-footed shot past Marcinkowski that put LAFC back in front, this time for good.
