LAFC plays to scoreless draw with DC United

In a match in which both sides needed three points, albeit for different reasons, LAFC and DC United had to settle for a spilt of points.

LAFC looked to Saturday night’s match at Audi Field looking to improve its standing in the Western Conference, while DC United needed the win to pull themselves into playoff position in the East. In the end, DC United kinda sorta got what it wanted as they and DC United played to a 0-0 result in the nation’s capital.

LAFC (10-7-6, 36 points) remained in third place when the weekend was done, three points back of the surgind Houston Dynamo for second, while DC United (5-7-10, 25 points) pulled into a three-way tie with Toronto FC and Orlando City for the final playoff spot int the East.

DC United got its first chance just seconds into the match. DC pressed LAFC into a turnover at midfield, Jackson Hopkins led a counterattack, played a ball to his right to Luis Munteanu, who then right away sent a ball into the penalty area, and Joao Peglow headed a ball right at goal, but keeper Hugo Lloris calmly made the save.

DC United stayed aggressive throughout the opening minutes, possessing the ball deep inside LAFC territory, and even finding the back net, but a 16th minute strike by Keisuke Kurokawa was called back for a relatively easy offside call. LAFC didn’t get its first real scoring chance until the 36th minute, as Jeremy Ebobissie won possession, played a ball to Son Heung-min, who then played Denis Bouanga into the penalty area, Bouanga touched a ball towards the six-yard box, took a right-footed shot, but keeper Sean Johnson stook his ground, and redirected the ball over the end line.

DC United looked to gain back the momentum at the start of the second half. DCU got a chance three minutes into the second half, as Brandon Servania played a ball forward to Nathan Ordaz, and the former LAFC player crossed into the penalty area and Alex Bono one-timed a right-footed shot that was right on target, but Lloris didn’t flinch, and parried the ball with his right hand over goal. Another chance for DC came in the 53rd minute, as Ordaz left a ball for Monteanu inside the penalty area but Monteanu missed the near post.

Then came a stretch of three straight attempts off corner kicks or LAFC. The first came in the 60th minute, where a right-footed attempt by Marky Delgado curled, but deflected off DCU’s Matti Peltola, who was on the ground, and the ball went out for anther LAFC corner. On this one, Johnson sent the ball out, but it fell to Son, and with Johnson out of position, Son immediately tried to capitalize on the open net, but his shot was blocked by both Peltola and Andre Dozzell, plus Johnson may have recovered in time to stop the shot. Still the ball went out for another LAFC corner, but DC United was able to successfully hold its ground.

Minutes after the last LAFC corner, DC United was gifted a scoring chance themselves. Ryan Hollingshead passed a ball, but it went right to the feet of Monteanu, and the Romanian forward immediately looked to cash in, as he took a quick touch, then fired a right-footed shot for the back post, but Lloris dived and managed to parry the ball over the end line.

LAFC’s road trip concludes next Saturday, as they travel to Utah to face Real Salt Lake.