Zubak shines as Galaxy end 2-game skid against LAFC; Miami and Atlanta post facile wins
- 23 Aug 2020
Ethan Zubak scored his first MLS goal and the LA Galaxy beat Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) 2-0 on Saturday in the short — and, ultimately, disappointing — return of 2019 MLS MVP Carlos Vela.
Vela, who did not compete in the MLS is Back Tournament due to family reasons, left the game in the 57th minute after suffering a non-contact injury to his left leg.
Zubak, a 21-year-old Los Angeles native, headed home an entry by Julian Araujo in the 26th, and Sebastian Lletget added a goal in the 54th, bouncing a cross by Araujo past goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer.
The Galaxy (1-3-2) snapped a two-game losing streak against LAFC (2-1-3) and improved to 5-2, including playoffs, in the cross-town rivalry known as El Trafico.
When the Galaxy walked off 90 minutes later with a 2-0 victory - their first win of the season and the franchise’s first at their rival’s home park - Jonathan Dos Santos recognized the unique nature of the achievement.
“This win is for the fans that I know were watching us from their homes,” the Galaxy midfielder said. “It’s weird, because we’ve never had this experience playing without fans. But we knew the fans were watching us. We knew that this game was really important for us, and I’m proud of my team. It’s a new experience playing without fans, but I think everything depends on us.”
ATLANTA UNITED 2, NASHVILLE SC 0: Pity Martinez scored two goals and Atlanta United broke a scoreless drought of more than five months and the longest losing streak in franchise history with the victory over Nashville.
Playing in empty Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which looked downright eerie considering the team has set numerous Major League Soccer attendance records, United (3-3-0) earned a much-needed win in its first game under interim coach Stephen Glass.
Atlanta snapped a three-game MLS losing streak and a four-game skid across all competitions, beating expansion Nashville (1-3-1) for its first win since a 2-1 triumph over Cincinnati on March 7.
Julian Carranza scored twice and Inter Miami beat Florida rival Orlando City for the MLS expansion team’s first victory of the season.
Carranza gave Inter Miami the early lead in the 12th minute. After Orlando City pulled even on Daryl Dike’s goal in the 18th, Carranza added his second some five minutes later.
Rodolfo Pizarro added a final goal for Miami just after the break. Upon scoring, he ran into the empty stands to pose with a cardboard cutout of a fan.
Nani made it interesting with a header in the 80th minute to pull Orlando City to 3-2.
Maikel Chang scored his first MLS goal, added his first two assists and Real Salt Lake overcame an early own goal to beat Colorado,
Colorado goalkeeper William Yarborough charged an entry by Salt Lake’s Justin Meram but couldn’t control it and the ball rolled to Chang who tapped in a left-footer from the center of the area to make it 2-1 in the 76th minute.
RSL’s Aaron Herrera scored an own goal to give the Rapids (2-3-1) a 1-0 lead in the 38th.
Chang assisted on goals by Corey Baird in the 85th and Meram in the 89th to cap the scoring.
Salt Lake (2-1-3) has won five straight against the Rapids, the longest such streak in the history of the Rocky Mountain Cup.
Agencies
