The goals came in bunches for LAFC against Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
By Ivan Yeo
If MLS fans weren’t taking notice of LAFC before, they will certainly be taking notice now.
LAFC won its second straight match in convincing fashion on Saturday afternoon. Led by Diego Rossi’s brace and goals from Carlos Vela, Benny Feilhaber and Latif Blessing, LAFC ran Real Salt Lake off its home field, overcoming a one-goal deficit to turn back the home side 5-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Things actually did not start off great for LAFC in the beginning. In the 19th minute, Joao Plata dribbled past Steve Beitashour into the penalty area, Dejan Jakovic came over to help and made a slide tackle that missed both the ball and Plata, who still went to he ground. Referee Baldomero Toledo still signaled for the penalty spot, Plata stepped forward in the 20th minute, was denied from the spot by Tyler Miller, but the rebound went back to Plata, and this time, he sent the shot past Miller to the far post to give RSL the early lead.
However, LAFC took control from that point on. LAFC got the equalizer in the 30th minute, as Marco Urena took a short pass, sprung Rossi, who had slipped past defender Demar Phillips, into the penalty area and Rossi slotted the shot past Nick Rimando into the back net. LAFC then edged ahead three minutes later, as LAFC held the ball inside RSL’s penalty area, Beitashour played a ball to Rossi, who crossed into the six-yard box and and unmarked Latif Blessing simply tapped the ball into the back net.
LAFC blew the match open in the second half. Two minutes in, Rossi sprung Beitashour into the penalty area, crossed into the six and Feilhaber shot the ball between Rimando’s legs into the back net. Rossi got his second of the match in the 81st minute when Vela sprung him for the penalty area and Rossi one-timed a shot past Rimando just outside the box near post. Rossi returned the favor to Vela five minutes later, Rossi played a ball to Vela, who split a pair of RSL defenders and chipped a ball past Rimando far post to finish off the afternoon for LAFC>
LAFC will now have a week off to prepare for its highly-anticipated showdown with the LA Galaxy at StubHub Center on March 31.
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