Los Angeles FC prevailed in a five-goal thriller in their ‘El Trafico’ derby against Los Angeles Galaxy, holding on for a 3-2 win.
In a clash between two of the Western Conference’s top-four sides, league-leading LAFC struck first as Jose Cifuentes broke the deadlock 17 minutes in with a header from the edge of the six-yard box.
It would be the only goal of the opening half, before the scoring barrage began with Galaxy’s equaliser through Samuel Grandsir at the 55-minute mark.
Cifuentes again found himself on the end of a dangerous cross in the 70th minute, heading home his second goal, before teammate Cristian Arango made it 3-1 just two minutes later with his right-foot hit from outside the box.
Rayan Raveloson set up a thrilling finish when he trimmed the margin back to 3-2 in the 81st minute, heading home Victor Vazquez’s cross, and Raveloson almost equalised with a chance in the 87th minute, but he could not find the back of the net.
According to expected goal data, Raveloson’s miss in the 87th minute was the best chance of the entire game for either side (0.54 expected goals).
21 – Only Valentín Castellanos (23) has scored more regular season goals than Cristian Arango (21) since Arango’s @MLS debut last August. Reliable. pic.twitter.com/2AmdIqiPsR
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) July 9, 2022
Meanwhile, it was one-way traffic at Philadelphia’s Subaru Park as the Philadelphia Union hammered DC United 7-0.
Both Alejandro Bedoya and Julian Carranza netted braces in the first 37 minutes, before Mikael Uhre made it 5-0 heading into the half-time break.
Uhre was the Union’s third player to bag his second goal when he made it 6-0 in the 59th minute, and after Carranza missed a golden opportunity for a hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 69th minute, he made it up for it with his third goal of the contest just three minutes later.
JULIAN DID THAT. #PHIvDC | 2-0 | #DOOP pic.twitter.com/RhjI7EYs0p
— PhilaUnion (@PhilaUnion) July 9, 2022
Minnesota United showed supreme finishing in Friday’s last game, defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 despite neither side finishing with an expected goal.
Minnesota finished up on the expected goal count 0.91 to 0.74, but a late barrage saw them storm home after falling behind 1-0 in the 66th minute from substitute Lucas Cavallini’s goal.
Their response was sharp, equalising five minutes later through Kemar Lawrence’s left-foot hit from a tight angle, before Luis Amarilla put Minnesota ahead 2-1 with his long-range blast following a costly turnover in midfield.
Franco Fragapane’s 88th-minute sealer ensured there would be no late twists as Minnesota held on for the result.
Goal #2 pic.twitter.com/aVx7e93Uum
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) July 9, 2022
