Los Angeles FC showed why they are the MLS best team this season as they hammered Charlotte 5-0 to move six points clear atop the Western Conference, with a game in hand.
LAFC controlled the first half, creating 12 shots to Charlotte s four, but after 45 minutes the sides went into the half-time break locked at 0-0 as the home side s attacks continued to falter in the final third.
Whatever the advice was during the break seemed to work a treat, with Jesus Murillo finding the breakthrough in the 49th minute when he headed home a stylish lofted through ball from Diego Palacios. That opened the floodgates, with Jose Cifuentes making it 2-0 10 minutes later, and Cifuentes then turned distributor in the 73rd minute to set up Carlos Vela for 3-0.
Cristian Arango got in on the fun to put home LAFC s fourth in the 76th minute, and an own goal in stoppage time from Charlotte captain Anton Walkes completed the rout.
CIFU VELA
— LAFC (@LAFC)
Earlier in the day, it was Orlando City jumping up into the Eastern Conference s top-six with a 1-0 upset win away from home against New York Red Bulls.
Uruguay s Facundo Torres netted the game s only goal in the 17th minute to make it five matches without a win for the Red Bulls, who still sit fourth in the East.
In a back-and-forth contest, Cincinnati came back from an early 1-0 deficit to lead 2-1 at half-time through goals to Brandon Vasquez and Brenner, only to be denied the three points by an Andrew Gutman equaliser in the 83rd minute.
The East s bottom side DC United continued to struggle on their way to a 1-0 away loss against the New England Revolution, while the top side in the East, the Philadelphia Union, made it look easy as they treated their home fans to a 4-1 pummelling of the Chicago Fire.
Julian puts one on the board! | 3-1 |
— PhilaUnion (@PhilaUnion)
Inter Miami held onto the seventh and final Eastern Conference playoff spot with their 3-2 win against New York City, thanks in large part to Alejandro Pozuelo s brace, with one assist coming from Gonzalo Higuain.
Austin FC came back from 3-1 down at half-time to steal a 4-3 win against Sporting Kansas City, with Sebastian Driussi netting the winner in the 94th minute, while Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne injected some Italian flavour with a goal each to help Toronto FC defeat the Portland Timbers 3-1.
The struggling Colorado Rapids will be the more pleased of the two sides after a 1-1 draw against the Colombus Crew, and a first-half double from FC Dallas Jesus Ferreira was the catalyst in a 4-1 victory against the San Jose Earthquakes.
CF Montreal s Romell Quioto scored a penalty and missed a penalty in a 3-2 win against the Houston Dynamo to strengthen their second-placed position in the East, and a four-goal first half from Los Angeles Galaxy – including a goal and an assist for Chicharito – was more than enough to prevail 5-2 against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
HAVE YOURSELF A GAME,
The Frenchman has a brace in the first half
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy)
