Giving up a goal just before halftime would be devastating to any team.
One minute, you think you’re going into the locker room scoreless and with that train of thought, the belief that you have a chance to grab the lead and eventually the win. The next minute, you find yourself down a goal and feeling kind of deflated, a feeling of letdown, of taking your foot off the pedal at a really bad time, and while you still believe you can win the match, that scenario got a little tougher having to come from behind.
That was the situation LAFC found themselves in on Sunday afternoon in its first ever visit to Cincinnati. Luciano Acosta had struck for FC Cincinnati in the final minute of first half stoppage time to send the home side into the break with the lead. If this had occurred last season, it would’ve certainly deflated LAFC, and most likely sent then down the road to defeat. This year, they fought back and the latest MLS odds show more confidence in their chances.
Not this season however, not in 2022. LAFC this time rallied in the second half, and the rally was fierce enough to earn them three points. Kellyn Acosta equalized on a howler of a goal early in the half, then Danny Musovski won it for the Black and Gold late in the half, and LAFC left TQL Stadium with the 2-1 win and with it, its hold on first place in the Western Conference.
“Just the resilience of the group, going down a goal and being able to come back in the second half, we fought and fought,” Acosta said of the come-from-behind win. “It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but at the end of the day, we came here for three points and we were able to get that.”
Cincinnati broke through in stoppage time just before the half. Cincinnati intercepted a clearance pass from LAFC keeper Maxime Crepeau, Brenner Souza da Silva got the ball just outside the penalty area, then played Acosta into the penalty area, Acosta juked past defender Jesus David Murillo, then fired the shot that beat Crepeau near post to give Cincinnati the lead before the whistle was blown on the first half.
LAFC however was up to the task. Acosta equalized in the 59th minute, as a Carlos Vela corner was headed by Sebastien Ibeagha, the ball bounced inside the penalty area and Acosta charged in and fired a rocket just outside the penalty area that sailed past keeper Roman Celentano near post to level matters.
LAFC then seized the advantage in the 79th minute. Musovski and Latiff Blessing pressured Alvas Powell to pass a ball back that went off the back heel of Carlos Vela. Blessing got the ball, played Vela forward, Vela then played Musovski into the box and Musovski chipped a ball that got past Celentano near post for what eventually became the winning goal.
“It’s moments like these that make us stronger,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “I challenged them at halftime, I said ‘you got yourselves into a hole, now get yourselves out,’ and they did that, not in the way we wanted to, but they found answers, and as a coach, solutions are what matters. Maybe not the solution itself, but as long as they are finding solutions, then I’m a happy camper.”
LAFC will be back at it next Sunday evening, as they host Minnesota United at Banc of California Stadium.
