LAFC, Real Salt Lake fall out of first place in the West while playing to a 1-1 tie
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles FC and Real Salt Lake both fell out of first place in the Western Conference while playing to a 1-1 tie Wednesday night.
Both clubs began the night tied with the LA Galaxy in first place, but neither scored in the second half. Meanwhile, the Galaxy beat Colorado 3-2 just down the I-5 freeway in Carson.
Cristian Olivera scored an early goal for LAFC in its first outing since its 13-match unbeaten streak ended last weekend with an ugly 5-1 home loss to Columbus.
Brayan Vera scored his first goal of the season for Real Salt Lake, which rebounded from its own 3-0 loss to Portland.
While LAFC failed to cash in a handful of golden chances, Salt Lake had more shots and more possession despite playing without MLS goals leader Cristian “Chicho” Arango, who began his four-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-harassment policy.
The league and the team have provided no details about the suspension for Arango, the Colombian ex-LAFC forward who scored 30 goals in 51 matches over two prolific seasons in Los Angeles. LAFC sold its star striker and 2022 MLS MVP finalist to Liga MX’s Pachuca in February 2023 because it couldn’t fit its entire championship-winning roster under MLS’ salary cap.
LAFC went ahead in the fifth minute when Salt Lake goalkeeper Zac MacMath badly misread a long pass by Eduard Atuesta and left his net unguarded for Olivera. The Uruguayan forward lobbed home his fifth goal of the season in his first match back from the Copa America tournament.
Salt Lake evened it in the 33rd minute when Vera’s low free kick from outside the penalty area glanced off LAFC captain Ilie Sánchez and past Hugo Lloris.
LAFC’s Mateusz Bogusz got alone in front of Salt Lake’s goal to receive a cross in the 79th minute, but shanked his first touch high over the goal. Denis Bouanga then dribbled along the goal line to the mouth of Salt Lake’s net in injury time, but his pass in front didn’t find Kei Kamara.
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