Around the MLS: Matchweek 5
After five weeks, the Major League Soccer season has continued to produce intriguing plotlines. While St. Louis remains unbeaten and the Eastern Conference remains a logjam, there were plenty of thrillers in Matchweek 5.
LAFC moved into a tie for second in the Western Conference following a 2-1 home win over FC Dallas. An early goal by Timothy Tillman gave LAFC the lead after the Dallas defense committed a turnover.
It appeared that the visitors equalized in the 18th minute, but a goal by Edwin Cerrillo was disallowed after a review, keeping LAFC in front 1-0.
Come the 32nd minute, an LAFC player collided with FC Dallas right back Ema Twumasi and was initially given a yellow card. However, the ruling was changed to a red card after VAR, putting FC Dallas down a man.
Dallas remained in the game and eventually struck back in the 73rd minute when Nkosi Tafari used his heel to flip the ball past LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy.
After a Carlos Vela penalty was too high, LAFC got another scoring chance when it got a corner kick in the 83rd minute.
Denis Bouanga took the ball after the initial corner kick was too long for the net and fired a shot on the left side past Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes.
The goal ensured LAFC would hang on for a 2-1 victory, joining the Seattle Sounders in a tie for second in the Western Conference.
Elsewhere in the league, D.C. United and the New England Revolution renewed their rivalry.
The match ended in a 2-1 New England victory, as the Revs used second-half goals from Gustavo Bou and Noel Buck to claim the victory after trailing 1-0 at halftime. The win meant New England claimed the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Columbus claimed three vital points in a 6-1 win over Atlanta United. Aidan Morris started the home team's scoring with a header in the 14th minute, but the game remained 1-0 at halftime.
Christian Ramirez stole the show for the Crew in the second half.
The forward took a pass from Jacen Russell-Rowe and sent an upward shot past Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan to double his team’s lead.
Late in the game, Ramirez took a forward pass after Columbus intercepted the ball and fired a shot past Guzan to put the game out of reach.
Other notable games from Matchweek 5 include upsets by Houston (1-0 over New York City FC) and Chicago (3-2 over Inter Miami) as well as a 1-0 win for Cincinnati over Nashville.
Will Duerksen is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email wdd5066@psu.edu.
