Host Los Angeles FC exploded for five second-half goals and rolled to a 5-0 win over expansion side Charlotte FC on Saturday night.
Jesus Murillo, Jose Cifuentes, Carlos Vela and Cristian Arango tallied goals in a 28-minute span, leading Western Conference-leading LAFC to another win in what is on pace to be the team’s best season in its fifth season of existence.
Latif Blessing’s hustle created an own goal in extra time of the second half to complete LAFC’s dominating night. LAFC (17-4-3, 54 points) has won six straight home matches and six straight games overall. It’s the longest winning streak in club history.
Murillo’s goal in the 49th minute broke a scoreless tie, and LAFC kept up the attack with Cifuentes scoring off a corner kick in the 59th, Vela off a long ball to him after he slipped ahead of Charlotte’s defense in the 73rd minute, and Arango three minutes later to complete a series of pinpoint passes between teammates.
Vela and Cifuentes added an assist each.
Charlotte FC fell to 9-14-2 with 29 points.
LAFC was close twice in the first half, a sign of things to come. Brian Rodriguez controlled a pass from Vela and had a good opportunity, but he shot high and wide with his left foot at the 17-minute mark.
Moments before, Charlotte’s Yordy Reyna had his right-footed attempt from distance saved by LAFC’s Maxime Crepeau in a corner of the net.
In the 34th minute, LAFC’s Diego Palacios fired a shot from close range, but Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina made a one-handed save.
LAFC didn’t even activate its two top transfer signings, Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini, for the match. It was the team’s sixth win without a loss against a Major League Soccer expansion team.
–Field Level Media
