Photo Courtesy of LAFC.
It seems everyone in MLS, let alone FC Cincinnati, are chasing Carlos Vela and LAFC.
By Ivan Yeo
Getting their first look at MLS’ newest side, FC Cincinnati, LAFC was all over the expansion side from the start of the match, spending most of the match on Cincy’s side of the field.
While several moments of last-minute defending from the visitors kept LAFC from a rout, LAFC still got the goal they needed to keep its undefeated run in tact. Mark Anthony Kaye and Carlos Vela found the back net for the home team, and LAFC ran off to a 2-0 win at Banc of California Stadium.
“Tonight, I don’t think we were as sharp as I’d like,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said. “The kind of football we want to play in terms of the quality of every pass, the timing, finding the right spaces, some of those things still went up and down. The good news is that we get a shutout, and in terms of the mentality of the group on a night when the football isn’t the best, I think that that part was positive.”
LAFC imposed its will on the match right from the start. LAFC slowly worked the ball into the Cincinnati penalty area, Christian Ramirez actually played it back out of the box, but Latiff Blessing swooped in and blasted a shot towards goal the shot deflected off Cincinnati defender Nick Hagglund, but the ball fell to Diego Rossi, who had a point blank look inside the 18-yard box. Rossi took a touch and fired the shot, but keeper Spencer Richey, who went to ground while playing Blessing’s shot, recovered just enough to parry the ball over goal.
Another chance came in the fifth minute, as Vela played Rossi into the penalty area, but Rossi was again denied by Hagglund, though the ball did continue towards an empty net before Mathieu Deplange cleared the ball at the goal line, which was important considering Ramirez was right behind him. LAFC’s persistence finally paid off in the 32nd minute. LAFC won a corner, Carlos Vela sent the corner into the penalty area just outside the six-yard box and Kaye headed the ball perfectly, as it got past Richey far post to finally get LAFC on the board.
“The coaching stuff does a good job at analyzing how our oppositions defend corners,” Kaye said of his goal. “We knew there was a good area to get the ball in and if we had the right amount of guys in that spot then it didn’t really matter who was going to be there.”
LAFC kept the pressure on Cincinnati throughout the second half, but it wasn’t until the beginning of stoppage time that LAFC finally got that second goal to wrap up another three points. Atuesta fed a ball to Carlos Vela, who kept himself onside. Vela then sprinted for the penalty area and with only JeVaughn Watson in his way, waited to make his move, them sprinted past Watson and got enough on his shot to beat Richey far post to end matters on the night.
I’m trying to do it all in the right moment and in the right situation,” Vela said “I’m trying to be the best Carlos Vela possible, and I think I’m doing well. I’ve started really well this season, but it’s long. I have to keep working, I have to show something for my team every game.”
While LAFC was rolling offensively, the same could hardly said for FC Cincinnati, who hardly saw very many opportunities in the match. Cincinnati did have one very dangerous chance right before halftime. Darren Mattocks played a ball to Kenney Saief, who then played it back to Mattocks. Mattocks took a touch on the ball that enabled him to cut inside, which gave his a sightline at goal, Mattocks fired the shot for the far post, but Miller dived and got his left hand on the ball to parry it out of play.
LAFC
MLS
