Photo courtesy of LAFC.
Cristian Arango, right, carrled LAFC with two first half goals against Real Salt Lake on Sunday night.
The MLS playoffs don’t start for another two months, but for LAFC, they might as well have already started.
Sunday night’s game between LAFC and Real Salt Lake had just about everything one could hope for between two teams vying for the seventh and final playoff spot in the Western Conference; a dramatic back-and-forth game that featured a key moment that was decisive in the outcome of the match. Fortunately for LAFC, that key moment was to their benefit, as an RSL own goal early in the second half turned out to be the difference in LAFC’s 3-2 win at Banc of California Stadium.
“Definitely came out and set up to win however there’s still many things to correct,” said LAFC forward Cristian Arango, who had a brace in the match. “I think that there’s no better way to correct than to get a win. So with that, we have to continue building up.”
Not that the own goal was the only big LAFC moment in the match. LAFC got another huge performance from Arango, who is proving to be more than an adequate replacement for Diego Rossi. Arango had a brace in the first half, and his performance was key in LAFC picking up three points, which not leaves them in a tie with RSL for the seventh spot in the West.
The first 58 minutes were back-and-forth, but LAFC got that huge break in the 59th minute. It started when Atuesta played a ball for Danny Musovski, the pass was touched forward by Musovski, but was marked immediately by Erik Holt, while Toni Datkovic got to the ball and made a back pass towards keeper David Ochoa, but miscommunication between the two was apparent, as Ochoa signaled to Datkovic not to pass back, then slipped on the field, allowing the ball to roll across the goal line and into the back net for an own goal to put LAFC back in the lead. Unlike past games and even tonight in the first half, LAFC did not relent, and ultimately hung on for the win.
“Wild game,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said. “Sometimes as you get into the latter part of the season, and you’re playing these 6-point games, they really — they become fast and furious. At times there’s mistakes, both sides.”
Arango carried LAFC in the first half, starting with the fastest goal in franchise history. Atuesta dribbled forward, then played a ball to Bryce Duke, who looked to spring Musovski with a ball intended for him in the penalty area, RSL’s Justen Glad cut off the pass, but Arango, who had stayed with the play, beat Glad to the loose ball with his left foot, then fired a one-timer off his right foot that beat Ochoa near post just 20 seconds into the match.
RSL would not be deterred, and got an equalizer. Maikel Chang deflected a pass from Mbacke, the ball went to Damir Kreilach, who them passed it back to Chang and he slowly dribbled down the right side of the field. CHang played a ball back to Kreilach, who then let go a right-footed volley from just outside the penalty area that sailed over keeper Tomas Romero and went in at the far post to leven the match. It didn’t take LAFC long to push back ahead, as it occured just one minute after Kreilach’s goal, as Atuesta floated a left-footed cross towards the six-yard box and Arango’s header beat Ochoa near post to edge LAFC back ahead.
“The goals definitely give us confidence, Arango said. My teammates continue to give me confidence, like when Jose (Cifuentes) allowed me to take the penalty. We are on an upward-bound path where all we can do is continue to
gain, and with all these goals, we are hoping to continue accumulating more.”
LAFC took the lead into the locker room, but Salt Lake had another equalizer in them, as Albert Rusnak stole a ball from Bryce Duke, dribbled forward before springing Andersson Julio with a ball through the LAFC defense, Anderson paced himself as he crossed into the penalty area, then slotted a shot past Romero for a second equalizer for RSL.
