LAFC Falls to Columbus Crew 1-5
The Los Angeles Football Club could not get their revenge on the Columbus Crew in their first meeting since the 2023 MLS Cup Final.
The Los Angeles Football Club could not get their revenge on the Columbus Crew in their first meeting since the 2023 MLS Cup Final.
Overall, LAFC played a dominant match with another special performance from leading MVP candidate, Carlos Vela.
LAFC and FC Dallas both had interesting schedules this week. The two teams played against one another on Thursday, May 16 at Banc of California Stadium and met just three days later on Sunday, May 19, to play FC Dallas yet again, this time in Texas.
Coming off an away draw at Seattle last weekend felt like a victory for the Black and Gold, playing one of the top four teams in the conference. They remain at the top of the West for the time being, but the Galaxy are hot on their tail just two points away from tying LAFC on points from 22 to 24.
Coming into the game against the Seattle Sounders, LAFC suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps midweek. It was a close game, with only one goal being scored throughout the entire contest, but the goal was in favor of Vancouver, ending LAFC’s unbeaten streak for the season.
On Saturday, March 23, LAFC played Real Salt Lake in another grudge match of sorts. LAFC bested Real Salt Lake twice, even routing them 5-1 early last season, before narrowly losing to them and missing out on going deeper into the playoffs. LAFC was missing a few starting faces as well, namely midfielders Mark-Anthony Kaye(International call-up for Canada), Lee Nguyen (hamstring injury) and Christian Ramirez (International call-up for USA).
If there was ever a season defining match for a club, it would be the one played between LAFC and Real Salt Lake this past Thursday Nov. 1.
On Wednesday, LAFC played Real Salt Lake, a team far too close for comfort in the standings for LAFC, sitting just a point behind at the start of the game. The biggest question surrounding this game was whether the spectators could expect the LAFC of old, prone to dominate their opponents in the midfield and finishing games off with clinical precision, or the LAFC of recent weeks: a team that starts games out strong but folds somewhere in the middle and concedes goals late in the match. Luckily for LAFC fans, the former showed up ready to play, beating Real Salt Lake 2-0 with a brace from recent LAFC signee and hometown hero Christian Ramirez in his full LAFC debut.
The hard times continued for the Black and Gold last weekend, as LAFC lost their first game at home this past Sunday against Sporting Kansas City, 2-1.
The Los Angeles Football Club have put themselves in a tough position. Out of their last six matches, LAFC have tied three, lost two and won one. The 2-1 loss at the hands of the Red Bulls this past weekend has dropped the squad from second to fourth place in the Western standings, with the Portland Timbers moving into second and Sporting Kansas City moving into third.
LAFC would win the rematch in Portland 3-2, with goals from Carlos Vela and Marco Ureña, his first for LAFC. The game, while not a league match, looked to continue LAFC’s recent strong form over into MLS games. Unfortunately, LAFC squandered the opportunity in a display that the players and fans of LAFC alike, will want to put behind them for good.