From nothing to a lot in a matter of 45 minutes.
That summed up LAFC’s Saturday night against Charlotte FC. After a scoreless first half, LAFC lit up the scoreboard in the second half, getting goals from Jesus David Murillo, Jose Cifuentes, Carlos Vela, Cristian Arango, and a Charlotte own goal, and LAFC won its sixth straight match with a convincing 5-0 win at Banc of California Stadium.
“We were persistent, and we were clinical in front of goal,” LAFC midfielder Kellyn Acosta said. “We showcased our talent and our depth, for us, it was good result and something we could build on.”
The three points won on Saturday night were huge for LAFC (17-4-3, 54 points), as it keeps them six points ahead of both Austin FC and the Philadelphia Union in the Supporters Shield race.
It didn’t take long for LAFC to assert themselves in the second half. LAFC scored just four minutes into the second half as Diego Palacios sent a ball into the penalty area and Murillo headed a ball past keeper Kristijan Kahlina far post. Referee Chris Penso did delay the restart to see if Murillo might have been offside on the goal, but the goal eventually stood.
LAFC was soon on the attack thereafter. LAFC found the back net again in the 59th minute, as Vela sent a corner into the penalty area, Kahlina tried to make a play on the ball, but could only get his hand on the ball, and it resulted in the ball finding the feet of Cifuentes, who shot a volley into the back net. The two teammates switched roles in the 73rd minute, as Cifuentes sent a long ball forward, Vela was free to dribble into the penalty area and sent the shot past Kahlina into the back net.
It was Vela’s final play of the night, as he was subbed out right after the goal, with Franco Escobar taking his place. The magic however appeared to rub off on Escobar, as he assisted LAFC’s fourth goal of the night, LAFC held the ball near Charlotte’s goal, Mendez played short cross into the penalty area and Arango touched a ball past Kahlina far post. LAFC put a bow on the night in stoppage time, and it came from Charlotte themselves, as Maxime Crepeau sent a goal kick long, Kwadao Opoku headed a ball forward and Latiff Blessing timed his run perfectly to get behind the Charlotte defense and break for goal. Blessing got inside the penalty area, fired the shot, Kahlina made the save, but the ball deflected off Charlotte defender Anton Walkes and went back forward towards goal, Walkes desperately raced to stop the ball from going into the open net, but was unsuccessful, as his slide missed the ball as it went into the empty net.
“At times in the first half, we played a bit lethargic and sloppy, and we asked them to sharpen that up a bit,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “We also mentioned that once we do make one play, that would unlock their deeper block and spaces and opportunities would open.”
There will be no rest for the weary, as LAFC is back at the Banc on Tuesday night to face DC United.
