Though their match with Charlotte FC was scoreless after the opening 45 minutes, Los Angeles Football Club’s eventual victory was never in doubt.
LAFC remained perfect versus Major League Soccer expansion teams since joining the league in 2018, shutting down and dismantling their latest first-year victim 5-0 Saturday evening at Banc of California Stadium.
Significant contributions across the squad, from its defenders to attackers, highlighted LAFC’s pattern of success in 2022, which has been predicated on unmatched roster depth and unrelenting second halves.
Goals by Jesus Murillo, Jose Cifuentes, Carlos Vela, Chicho Arango plus an own-goal during stoppage time kept LAFC well ahead of their nearest competitors in the Supporters’ Shield race, as the Philadelphia Union and Austin FC were also victorious Saturday.
LAFC probed Charlotte in the opening half, but were less-than clinical in finishing situations.
Charlotte (9-14-2, 29 pts) could do little but defend and scramble while the Black & Gold sent wave after wave forward. Meanwhile, LAFC’s midfield — MLS All-Star Ilie Sanchez, Kellyn Acosta and Jose Cifuentes — cut down counter attacks before quickly transitioning to scoring opportunities in their opponent’s final third.
“It shows the quality of the group,” said Acosta, who started and played 90 minutes. “Obviously we fine-tuned some things during halftime and we were able to play at our strengths. Play one-two touches. Be closer together in our interchanges. And create chances but also finish chances. It shows the group being persistent, knowing our game plan, knowing our system and being able to get the best out of all of us.”
With Charlotte’s high-energy pressing a non-factor, LAFC attackers, including Brian Rodriguez in his first start since the end of June, danced around the box but lacked the touch to deliver what would have been a deserved halftime lead.
Coming out of the break, LAFC (17-4-3, 54 points) picked up its stellar second half play and needed less than five minutes to jump ahead following a corner kick.
Starting alongside fellow Colombian Eddie Segura as Giorgio Chiellini (and Gareth Bale) were given the night off ahead of Tuesday night’s match at home against D.C. United, Murillo leapt to meet a perfectly weighted ball hit over the top of the Charlotte backline hit from 40 yards away by MLS All-Star Diego Palacios.
“I’m very, very happy for him because he’s had an excellent season,” Cherundolo said of Murillo’s contributions. “Really top-notch defender. In my opinion one of the best performances of all the defenders in the league this season, and it’s great to get him on the scoring board tonight.
“We also mentioned that once we do make one play, that will unlock their deeper block and spaces, opportunities will open and present themselves. That I’m very happy with.”
Murillo’s second goal of the season off Palacio’s sixth assist not only cracked open Charlotte, it kicked down whatever defensive posture the visitor’s wanted to maintain against the best team in MLS.
“Teams come out and look to play a counter-attack and look for an opportunity in that sense against us, but the second half is much more complicated for them,” Murillo said. “With the players that we have, the intensity and the subs I think I can compare it to an avalanche. They won’t hold it. We have a strong team and there’s no stopping.”
Ten minutes after Murillo’s header, Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina punched away another corner kick, but the redirection fell directly to Cifuentes, who volleyed in his sixth goal.
Prior to the final quarter hour, Cifuentes’ seventh assist came with a floated pass from the midfield line following a Charlotte turnover that found an uncontested Carlos Vela in stride. The LAFC captain, who scored in Wednesday’s MLS All-Star match in Minneapolis, coolly collected the ball and rolled it between Kahlina’s legs for his eighth goal.
LAFC pushed its lead to 4-0 in the 76th minute. The club’s leading scorer, forward Chicho Arango, tapped in his 12th finish of the season off assists from defender Franco Escobar and midfielder Latif Blessing, who were among the second half substitutes that, yet again, chopped up an opposing MLS defense.
In stoppage time, LAFC collected its fifth goal — a team high through 24 matches this year — when Blessing’s chaos in the Charlotte box led to an own-goal.
LAFC outshot Charlotte 25 to eight, putting nine on target while limiting the expansion side to one per half, which were rebuffed by diving saves from goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau in his seventh shutout.
Adding to its gaudy record, LAFC is 10-1-1 when tied at the half and 13-0-0 after scoring first.
The result marked LAFC’s sixth consecutive victory in league play, topping the team record set in 2019.
“We’re getting closer and closer to our goal, holding up the Supporters’ Shield and onto the playoffs,” Acosta said. “We’ve got to take it game by game. We all know that. It was a great result for us tonight.”
