First-half goals put San Jose ahead of LAFC – Orange County record

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SAN JOSE — If the LA Football Club scenario is upended as the second half of the MLS season begins on Sunday, the story unfolding at PayPal Park sounded uncomfortably familiar.

Although recently acquired by Colombian striker Christian Arango alongside Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi, he has scored less than two goals in his 18th straight game in the regular season this year, losing 2-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes.

“We really let ourselves down when we made something by not being good enough at key moments,” said LAFC coach Bob Bradley, echoing the sentiments he has expressed throughout the season.

The defeat, the second in a row, continued a string of difficult results as the team tried to deal with breaking Colombian central defenders Eddie Segura and Jesus Murillo.

In the last four games since Segura lost the season after knee surgery and Murillo missed the game with a strained hamstring, the LAFC has taken one point.

Morello’s return to the squad on Sunday was good news after LAFC’s 4-1 home loss to Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday. But 10 minutes into the match, the powerful defender received a yellow card for making a foul on Earthquakes’ first goal.

San Jose midfielder Cristian Espinosa fired a direct free kick into the goal near the LAFC center that prompted goalkeeper Thomas Romero to try to meet the cross, but a peek at the outstretched leg of Brazilian defender Nathan redirected the ball into the net.

San Jose (5-7-6, 21 points) repeatedly tested the boundaries of the LAFC team’s defense with counters straight across the ground through midfield.

Half an hour before the LAFC defender Diego Palacios headed the ball toward the black and gold end of the field but it fell into the Espinosa Highway. The Argentine made his second assist in the match when he cut the ball back near the penalty spot for Javier Lopez, who first passed through Romero’s goal.

LAFC (6-7-5, 23 points) attempted to return to the game with several dangerous chances inside the penalty area as Carlos Vela, Brian Rodriguez and new Colombian striker Cristian Arango combined to challenge Earthquakes goalkeeper James Marcinkowski.

In the 39th minute, LAFC’s deficit was halved when Villa fired a free kick into the six-yard area near defender Tristan Blackmun, who jumped to meet the ball but missed.

After the play, San Jose midfielder Jackson Yoel tried to keep up with Blackmon and had the misfortune to head the ball into his net.

In the first half, Bradley managed to beat Rodriguez and Murillo, who did not seem to be playing at full speed, Diego Rossi and Mamadou Val.

Rossi, the 2020 NBA Golden Boot winner, started 15 games in a row before Sunday. Bradley explained that Rossi’s removal from the bench was an attempt to start the Uruguayan winger, who has scored two goals since the end of May.

“We’re trying really hard to get Diego’s confidence back,” Bradley said. “Diego is playing at the moment without much confidence. You see him when he gets certain chances or when he tries to go by a guy.”

The PayPal Park visitors looked more dangerous with Rossi on the field, but the chances they created were defended, wasted, obstructed or saved.

After scoring in four consecutive games, captain Carlos Vela, who played a fine bout on Sunday, has struggled without goals in his last two games.

“We need to get the most out of our talented strikers,” Bradley said.

Just an hour later, Latif Blessing replaced Jose Cifuentes, and in the 65th minute the Ghanaian midfielder could have secured the LAFC equalizer had it not been for Marcinkowski’s save, one of his six on the day.

“It’s a tough moment right now,” Blessing said. “We need to tell ourselves that it’s not over now.”

The club’s new striker, Arango, left the field in the 68th minute after playing with a strong presence. The 26-year-old Colombian described his MLS debut as bittersweet.

We have nothing to do but move forward and we have to pay together,” Arango said. “This is a club that deserves to win. The team works hard to win. We will continue to work hard.”

Bradley has acknowledged the frustration his players have shown on the pitch, but the Hall of Fame coach remains committed to an established LAFC identity even if the club’s ability to stand pressure is less effective and offensive play that netted a league goal – his 2019 scoring record was stuck at second gear.

“There is no magic formula,” the coach said after the first three games in a row. “When a team is going through a bit of a difficult stage, everyone is invited to show up every day with a real mentality. You can’t be afraid if some things go wrong. You have to stick to the group and the ideas.”

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