All Photo Credits: Major League Soccer @MLS
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(East Los Angeles, CA) May 7, 2021 [From The Editor’s Desk]: Although the season is still very young now, the LAFC/Black & Gold has to look deep within and come up with a better game plan to combat the loss of Carlos Vela as an offensive weapon and spark plug. Per Coach Bob Bradley, the estimated date and match that he is expected to return is still “up in the air.”
At present, the offense is somewhat stagnant and the defense is lacking focus and committing unwanted errors that have been very costly in these last two matches, first against the Seattle Sounders in Match #2, and last Saturday, on the road against the Houston Dynamo FC. In recapping the matches, MLS analysts would say that is what happened, with both matches resulting in (1-1) ties.
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(Match Recap): [1st Half] – The first period featured tough defense by both teams, but no goals. Even with the much-anticipated return of their star striker, Diego Rossi, to the line-up in his first start of the new season, the unremarkable result, was a tie going into their locker rooms at (0-0). However, with 12:00 minutes into the match, Rossi did give it his best try on a perfectly directed pass by Eduard Atuesta just 7 yards out from the right side of the net, but it was gathered in by Goalie/Marko Marich when he stretched out his right arm to prevent it from going in.
[2nd Half) – LAFC got it into gear and they took the first lead of the match when Midfielder/Corey Baird, took an assist after the extra pass, from Latif Blessing, and found the left-back of the net with a great left-footed shot past Goalie/Maric. This came at the ’55 minute mark, but then within minutes of their score, at the ’57 minute marker, the defense was caught off-guard and the Dynamo, on a great 30 yard air-borne crosser to the front of the net, were rewarded with their first goal, when their Forward/Tyler Pasher, came right back to answer and tie the match at (1-1).
In the aftermath of that score, both Coaches began their substitutions, first it was the Dynamo who replaced two players at the ’59 and two more at the ’79 mark. LAFC’s Coach, Bob Bradley made his move at the ’76 minute when he replaced Mark Anthony-Kaye with Danny Musovski. That was followed at the ’85 mark with Defender/Tristan Blackmon for Diego Palacios and Midfielder/Bryce Duke for Corey Baird. The hope was to ignite a possible microwave offense and to secure the defense in the event that the tie would be broken. Unfortunately for both teams, that did not materialize.
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For their match-play, both teams earned a single point, bringing their records to LAFC (5 points/3-Games/1 Win/2 Draws) and the Houston Dynamo, (4 points/3-Games/1 Win/1 Loss/1 Draw respectively.
(Next Up): The cross-town big rivalry match, aka “El Trafíco” is set for Saturday, May 8th at Dignity Health Sports Park, home of the Galaxy. Kick-off starts at 5:05 PM, (PT). Media coverage will be provided by the following outlets: FS1; FOX Deportes; Twitter; ESPN LA 710; ESPN App; 980 AM; and MLS “Live” on DAZN.
