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LAFC Snaps D.C United's 15-Game Unbeaten Streak, Philadelphia Wins Late

Diego Rossi's first career MLS hat trick helped LAFC give D.C. United its first loss of the season.

Associated Press

LAFC Snaps D.C United's 15-Game Unbeaten Streak, Philadelphia Wins Late
LAFC Snaps D.C United's 15-Game Unbeaten Streak, Philadelphia Wins Late /

WASHINGTON — Diego Rossi had his first career MLS hat trick to help LAFC snap D.C. United’s 15-game regular-season unbeaten streak with a 4-0 win on Saturday.

Carlos Vela scored his MLS-leading seventh goal of the season in the 15th minute, ripping a left-footer from the top of the box to give LAFC (5-0-1) a 1-0 lead.

Rossi, from near midfield, played a ball wide to Vela on the left side and then sprinted into the area where he slipped a left-footer inside the near post in the 27th. Rossi first-timed a bending side-netter about five minutes later to make it 3-0 at halftime and capped the scoring in the 76th minute.

Vela and Rossi have more goals (13) this season than any other MLS team.

LAFC has won three in a row and has outscored its opponents 19-5 this season.

D.C. United (3-1-1) played a man down after Wayne Rooney, who came in among the MLS leaders this season in goals (four) and assists (three), was shown a straight red card in the 52nd, after video review, for a dangerous tackle on Rossi.

It was United’s worst loss since a 4-0 decision against the Portland Timbers on Oct. 15, 2017.

Minnesota United 2, New York Red Bulls 1

HARRISON, N.J. — Abu Danladi and Romario Ibarra scored goals on Saturday night and Minnesota United beat the New York Red Bulls 2-1.

Danladi opened the scoring in the 34th minute with a low finish set up by Angelo Rodriguez’s cross.

Rodriguez’s hold-up play led to a deflection that Romario smashed home with a volley in the 50th minute, giving Minnesota United (3-2-0) a 2-0 lead.

Cristian Casseres Jr. slotted in a putback to cut the Red Bulls’ deficit to one the 70th minute. It was the 19-year-old Venezuelan’s first MLS goal.

The Red Bulls’ Alex Muyl left the game in the 21st minute due to injury.

New York (1-3-1) lost its third in a row and lost back-to-back home games for the first time since May 2014

Minnesota United ended its five-game road swing to open the season and will open its new stadium next Saturday, hosting New York City FC at Allianz Field.

Philadelphia Union 2, FC Dallas 1

CHESTER, Pa. — Cory Burke and Alejandro Bedoya scored a pair of late goals on Saturday night to rally the Philadelphia Union to its third straight win, 2-1 over FC Dallas.

Bedoya scored the go-ahead goal in the second minute of stoppage time, settling Ilsinho’s pass and cutting back to create space for a low left-footed finish.

Cory Burke scored a putback off Marco Fabian’s blocked penalty shot to tie it at 1 for the Union (3-2-1) in the 85th minute. Burke drew the penalty against Matt Hedges.

Reto Ziegler opened the scoring with a free kick for FC Dallas (3-2-1) in the 10th minute.

Columbus Crew 1, New England Revolution 0

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Josh Williams scored and the Columbus Crew moved alone into first place in the Eastern Conference with a 1-0 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday night.

Williams gave Federico Higuain’s free kick a slight redirection with a header flick in the 42nd minute. The assist was Higuain’s 61st with Columbus (4-1-1), tying a club record.

New England (1-4-1) went down a man in the 64th minute when Michael Mancienne was sent off for his second yellow card.

The Revs pressed forward and had a scoring opportunity in the 89th minute, but Crew goalkeeper Zack Steffen denied Cristian Penilla.

The Crew won four of their last five after opening the season with a draw.

San Jose Earthquakes 3, Portland Timbers 0

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Cristian Espinoza had a goal and an assist on Saturday night and the San Jose Earthquakes earned their first points of the season with a 3-0 win over the Portland Timbers.

Shea Salinas opened the scoring in the 15th minute, scoring from a run through the center of the 6-yard box to finish Espinoza’s cross.

The Earthquakes (1-4-0) led 2-0 in the 33rd minute when Danny Hoesen pounced on a loosed ball on the left side of the 6-yard box and poked it into the roof of the net.

Espinoza capped the scoring a minute later, stealing a misplayed pass, taking it 30 yards and slotting a low finish past the goalkeeper.

San Jose snapped a five-game losing streak that stretched back into last season.

The Timbers (0-4-1) lost their fourth in a row.

Orlando City SC 4, Colorado Rapids 3

ORLANDO, Fla. — Nani converted a late penalty and finished with two goals and one assist on Saturday night to help Orlando City beat the Colorado Rapids 4-3.

Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard guessed the wrong way and Nani finished into the right corner to cap the scoring in the 89th minute. The Rapids’ Axel Sjoberg conceded the penalty with a hand ball in the area.

Chris Mueller tied it at 3 in the 81st minute for Orlando City (2-2-2), settling a pass from Tesho Akindele and finishing with his left foot into the right corner.

Kei Kamara gave Colorado a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute, slotting a half volley home for his 115th MLS goal, moving him past Ante Razov for fifth place on the all-time goals list.

Nani answered in the 31st minute with his first MLS goal and Akindele made it 2-1 for Orlando City two minutes later.

Nicolas Mezquida scored in the 61st minute and Cole Bassett added another in the 71st to give the Rapids (0-4-2) a 3-2 lead.

The match was delayed an hour at halftime due to inclement weather.

extended their club-record start with a 1-0 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.

Seattle Sounders 1, Real Salt Lake 0

The Sounders (4-0-1) almost grabbed the lead when Brad Smith’s cross to Will Bruin was barely out of his reach at the right post. But the ball stayed in play, and Cristian Roldan gained control on the right side of the penalty area.

Roldan floated a high cross toward the left side, just over the head of Salt Lake defender Marco Silva. It landed at Lodeiro’s feet, and he tucked it into the left corner past goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

Until this year, Seattle had never been unbeaten through its first five games. The team’s previous best record through five was 3-2-0 during its inaugural 2009 season.

The Sounders had been shut out three straight times by RSL.

Stefan Frei collected his second straight shutout and third of the season.

Salt Lake (1-4-1) lost its fourth straight.

Toronto FC 2, Chicago Fire 2

TORONTO — Jonathan Osorio scored in the 76th minute, lifting Toronto FC to a 2-2 tie with the Chicago Fire on Saturday.

Toronto (3-0-1) was the only MLS team with a perfect record coming into the day. It extended its undefeated streak against Chicago to 10 dating to Sept. 26, 2015.

Jozy Altidore scored for Toronto in the first half and set up Osorio’s tying score. Positioned on the flank near the Chicago penalty box, the burly striker twisted and turned Jeremiah Gutjahr before delivering a perfect cross for Osorio to head in.

C.J. Sapong and Nemanja Nikolic scored for Chicago (1-2-2) before 26,256 at BMO Field.

Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo, who dazzled in his MLS debut last week with two goals and an assist, set up Altidore’s goal in the 31st minute. He made a perfect cross to the American, who headed it in at the far post for his third of the season.

Chicago drew even in first-half stoppage time after Gutjahr’s long ball found Sapong, who held off Chris Mavinga and then beat goalkeeper Alex Bono.

A Toronto giveaway set the scene for Chicago’s go-ahead goal in the 62nd minute. Richie Laryea lost the ball in midfield and Aleksandar Katai raced through the area where the Toronto fullback was supposed to be. With no one closing him down, he headed toward the penalty box and sent in a cross that Nikolic tapped in as Toronto defenders watched.

Montreal Impact 0, NYCFC 0

NEW YORK — Evan Bush had four saves for his first shutout of the season to help the Montreal Impact to a 0-0 tie with New York City FC on Saturday.

Montreal (2-2-1) played the final 20 minutes a man down after Maximiliano Urruti was shown a straight red card, after video review, in the 70th minute for a studs-up tackle on Maxime Chanot.

NYCFC (0-1-4) has been shutout in back-to-back games and has four goals in five MLS matches this season.

New York City controlled the action throughout with 65.8-percent possession while out-shooting the Impact 13-3 and has just one win in its last eight regular-season games dating to last season.

Heber Araujo dos Santos made his MLS debut for NYCFC, coming on in the 63rd minute for Jesus Medina.

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