Sporting Kansas City 1, LAFC 5 | 2019 MLS Match Recap

Jose Romero

Second-half goals from high-scoring Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi effectively ended any hopes Sporting Kansas City had of an upset of Major League Soccer's best team this season, Los Angeles Football Club, and the visitors tallied four times in the second 45 minutes for a 5-1 win at Children's Mercy Park Wednesday night.

West leaders LAFC have won nine of their last 10 league matches. Last-place Sporting have won just one of their last six, further dismayed when Daniel Salloi's 82nd minute penalty was saved by LAFC's Pablo Sisniega, who made his second career MLS start and had five saves.

Yohan Croizet pulled one back for the home team, but they only made the most of one of 21 shots. Rodolfo Zelaya got his first goal of the season on a breakout, taking a pass from Vela, and Mohamed El-Munir scored moments later to turn the match into a rout.

LAFC improved to 10-0-0 when leading at halftime this season. Vela increased his league-leading total to 17 goals and Rossi has nine.

Goals

28' – LAFC – Christian Ramirez | WATCH
50' – LAFC – Diego Rossi | WATCH
63' – LAFC – Carlos Vela | WATCH
85' – SKC – Yohan Croizet | WATCH
89' – LAFC – Rodolfo Zelaya | WATCH
90+1'– LAFC – Mohamed El-Munir | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Sporting's apparent strategy was to be physical, at times overly aggressive, with Vela. It didn't pay dividends, as the LAFC supporting cast stepped up and Vela got a goal anyway. LAFC continue to play well, and to top it off, Mark-Anthony Kaye is back from the Gold Cup and Walker Zimmerman and Tyler Miller will be back soon. LAFC's goal differential is up to a whopping plus-29.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Vela might not be helping Mexico in the Gold Cup, but he's busy being the best player in MLS. His goal in the 63rd minute was a clinical left-footer.

That deadly left foot...

18 games, 17 goals. @11carlosV is unstoppable 🕯️#SKCvLAFC 0-3 pic.twitter.com/ie4CIH6jMK
— LAFC (@LAFC) July 4, 2019

MAN OF THE MATCH: Many candidates in a blowout win, but Ramirez was crafty when he got the scoring started for LAFC, his fourth goal of the season coming on a free kick just outside the box that skittered under the leaping SKC defensive wall and eluded Tim Melia's dive. Ramirez also assisted on Rossi's goal, and before that had a chance at a first-half brace but missed an open net from close range. He also came close in the second half.

#LAFC GOAAAAAALL!@Chris_Ramirez17 smashes one under the wall to open the scoring in KC!#SKCvLAFC 0-1 pic.twitter.com/3nHqXklTGE
— LAFC (@LAFC) July 4, 2019

Next Up

SKC: Saturday, July 6 vs. Chicago Fire (8:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, DAZN in Canada)
LAFC: Saturday, July 6 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (10:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, TSN2 in Canada)

Jose Romero

Los Angeles Football Club Sporting Kansas City