Photos courtesy of LAFC.
Carlos Vela (top) and Diego Rossi showed they’re in midseason form with goals on Saturday against New England.
By Ivan Yeo
With opening week against Austin FC just exactly a week away, LAFC is rushing to get themselves ready.
Playing only its second preseason match against the New England Revolution, LAFC hopes the competition, which the Revs surely displayed on Saturday at Banc of California Stadium, will go a long way towards getting them into game shape. LAFC delighted the small contingent of fans in attendance, including 700 fully vaccinated health care workers, by rallying from two deficits against the Revolution, and eventually settled for the 3-3 draw.
“You’re never where you want to be,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said. “It’s impossible to start with just a couple of training matches and think that you’re already at the level you want to be at when the team comes together.”
New England came out firing to start the match. Adam Buksa opened the scoring for the Revolution just two minutes in as he capitalized on a bad touch by LAFC that enabled him to collect the ball and sprint for goal. Buksa beat keeper Kenneth Vermeer far post to put the Revs in front. New England doubled its lead just five minutes later, as Matt Polster scored almost from the same spot as Buksa, though in the same way with a shot past Vermeer far post and just like that, the Revolution was up 2-0.
“New England stepped up to press,” Bradley said. “We were very slow, we played right into their press, right into their hands in the early minutes and gave up two goals.”
LAFC finally got on the board in the 14th minute, as Carlos Vela played Corey Baird into the penalty area by switching a ball towards Baird on the left side of the field. Baird chased down the ball and played a quick cross to a trailing Rossi and the pass was perfect, as it allowed Rossi to tap the ball into an open net.
New England took the lead into the halftime locker room, but LAFC managed to push across the equalizer in the 58th minute. Rossi sprung Vela with a well-timed ball and Vela withstood pressure from behind by the Revs’ Henry Kessler and fired a ball past Turner to level the match. LAFC though gave the advantage back to New England when Buksa drew a foul inside the penalty area, thus awarding the Revolution the penalty, which Carles Gil buried in the 61st minute. Segura however made amends for the blunder as he scored in the 84th minute to level the match one last time.
“It was a good game,” LAFC’s Latiff Blessing said. “A little hard, but we have to prepare for next week. I think the team did a good job, we’re ready for what’s to come.”
Just like last season, LAFC will welcome a new franchise to MLS on its home field. Last year, it was Inter Miami, and this year, it will be Austin FC beginning its first ever season against LAFC at Banc of Califoria Stadium on Saturday.
