Carlos Vela opened LAFC’s 2020 campaign in style on Sunday afternoon.
No rest for the weary for LAFC.
Just days removed from a remarkable comeback win against Leon in the CONCACAF Champions League, LAFC did not have much time to savor the achievement, as they jumped right into opening the 2020 MLS campaign, and they did it by welcoming one of MLS’ newest teams into the league, Inter Miami, with one of its more famous owners, former international star David Beckham, in attendance, whom soccer fans got to know during his six seasons with the LA Galaxy.
Despite the short rest and being a relatively young franchise themselves, LAFC still had more than enough to give Miami a rather harsh welcome to the league. Carlos Vela’s golazo just before halftime was all LAFC needed to open its 2020 MLS campaign with a 1-0 win over Inter Miami.
“After the effort of Thursday, winning today is a real team win,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said. “Passing wasn’t as sharp, our pressing wasn’t as committed and as intense, Miami put a lot into it, and we get just an amazing goal.”
Carlos Vela finally got LAFC on the board just a minute before halftime. Vela chested a ball to his left, enabling to sidestep Ben Sweat, Vela continued forward, evaded challenges from Nicolas Figal and Roman Torres, then made another sidestepping move to evade Alvas Powell. Finally with open space, Vela chipped a ball off his left foot just outside the penalty area and it was nothing short of perfect, as the ball sailed over keeper Luis Robles and into the back net.
The Black and Gold (LAFC) met the Black and Pink (Inter Miami) on Sunday afternoon.
Despite having only two days rest in between games, LAFC showed no signs of tiredness as they opened the season. LAFC was on the prowl just five minutes in, as Vela crossed into the penalty area, and Diego Rossi sent a header right at goal, but Robles made the great reactionary save, parrying the ball off to his left over the end line. In the 30th minute, Rossi took a ball from Latiff Blessing, dribbled into the penalty area, sent a cross towards the six-yard box, the cross was deflected, Vela chased the ball down, took a shot that was blocked by Powell, Jordan Harvey came in and attempted a rebound shot, but that too was blocked and sent back out of the penalty area.
“We knew that it was going to be important to dig deep again, considering we just played a game on Thursday,” LAFC midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye said. “They (Miami) had some quality players and some good plays throughout the game but we always just try to focus on ourselves so we really just wanted to go in there and see what we were capable of doing after performing that 90 minutes on Thursday.”
Miami finally started generating some chances late in the first half. The first chance came in the 37th minute, as Lewis Morgan crossed into the penalty area, LAFC center back Dejan Jakovic cut off the cross, but the ball fell to Matias Pellegrini, who took a touch before firing a shot on goal that required keeper Kenneth Vermeer to make a diving save. Miami’s other great chance of the first half came in the 41st minute, as Rodolfo Pizzaro fired a shot off a Morgan corner that was saved by Vermeer, Pizarro recovered the ball, crossed back into the penalty area and Nicolas Figal headed a ball just outside the six-yard box, but Vermeer again came up with the save. Miami had one great chance in the second half in the 54th minute, as a Morgan corner was sent back out, Morgan got the ball back, crossed back into the penalty area and Pizzaro got his right foot on the ball towards goal, but the ball instead dribbled slowly wide right.
