Carlos Vela brace helps LAFC end Seattle undefeated streak!
The Los Angeles Football Club thrashed the Seattle Sounders 4-1 on Easter Sunday. After suffering an unexpected loss in Vancouver, Los Angeles faced the last unbeaten team of the MLS. LAFC needed to put pressure on Seattle in order to stay ahead in the MLS Western Conference as they were only three points behind.
The Sounders had unfinished business with the LA team since last season. Seattle, with two consecutive losses against LAFC, the away team wanted to change that at the Banc of California stadium. At kickoff, both sides came out with alternative eco-friendly kits in support of Earth Day. Los Angeles played with dark navy colors, while Seattle wore light blue. In the 10th minute, Carlos Vela scored the first goal of the game after an assist, Mark-Anthony Kaye. Vela was able to finish the play comfortably and adding his 9th goal of the season.
The Black and Gold continued to dominate possession in the first half, along with a few good shots on goal. Los Angeles took the lead on the scoreboard in the 39th minute with a strike by Eduard Atuesta from inside the box. Vela almost had the 3-0 in the final minutes of the first half after a one on one with Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei, but it wasn’t enough to bypass his outstretched hands. In the 51st minute, Harry Shipp took advantage of LA’s open space from the right side of the field, to put the Seattle at 2-1. Although it seemed like the Sounders were close to equalizing, Carlos Vela took on the goalkeeper and last line of defense to place LAFC up 3-1 in the 55th minute. Christian Ramirez added the final goal of that match after a backheel pass to Mark-Anthony Kaye, then Kaye gave the assist to Ramirez to score inside the penalty area in the 61st minute.
This win leaves LAFC to continue its lead of the Western Conference with 22 points and Sounders stay in third with sixteen points. Also, Vela stays as the top scorer with ten goals in the season as Zlatan trails behind with seven. Both teams face each other again next Sunday in Seattle, Washington.
