LAFC falls out of 1st place in West after tie with Real Salt Lake
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, right, celebrates with midfielder Timothy Tillman after Olivera scored a goal during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC midfielder Eduard Atuesta, right, vies for the ball against Real Salt Lake midfielder Anderson Julio during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC midfielder Mateusz Bogusz, left, chases the ball as Real Salt Lake midfielder Braian Ojeda defends during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna, right, controls the ball while under pressure from LAFC midfielder Ryan Hollingshead during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC defender Omar Campos, right, controls the ball during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera moves the ball up the field during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, left, gets the ball past Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Zac MacMath, right, before scoring on him during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, not pictured, scores a goal during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, left, celebrates with midfielder Timothy Tillman after scoring a goal during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, center, vies for the ball during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Aaron Long, left, looks to pass the ball during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead, top, heads the ball during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. The teams played to a 1-1 tie. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Real Salt Lake defender Brayan Vera, right, takes a shot on goal as LAFC defender Omar Campos helps defend during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Real Salt Lake defender Brayan Vera, not pictured, scores a goal past LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Real Salt Lake defender Brayan Vera, left, celebrates his goal with midfielder Maikel Chang, center, while midfielder Nelson Palacio watches during the first half of their MLS match against LAFC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Real Salt Lake defender Brayan Vera is mobbed by teammates after he scored a goal during the first half of their MLS match against LAFC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC midfielder Timothy Tillman, left, and Real Salt Lake midfielder Nelson Palacio battle for the ball during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris kicks the ball up the field during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC midfielder Ryan Hollingshead, left, and Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna battle for the ball during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC midfielder Mateusz Bogusz, right, controls the ball during the first half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Aaron Long, left, and Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna vie for a header during the first half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC forward David Martínez kicks the ball during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Eddie Segura, right, recovers the ball during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo, center, looks on from the sideline during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Omar Campos heads the ball during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead, center, recovers the ball during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Real Salt Lake defender Brayan Vera, left, and LAFC forward Kei Kamara try to head the ball during the second half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC midfielder Ilie Sánchez, left, heads the ball during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Denis Bouanga, right, moves the ball past Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna during the second half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Kei Kamara, right, vies for the ball with Real Salt Lake midfielder Bode Hidalgo (19) during the second half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead, right, recovers the ball during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC midfielder Ryan Hollingshead, right, kicks the ball as Real Salt Lake midfielder Braian Ojeda, left, and defender Brayan Vera defend during the second half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC midfielder Ilie Sánchez, left, kicks the ball as Real Salt Lake midfielder Anderson Julio, right, defends during the second half on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Kei Kamara, left, and Real Salt Lake midfielder Nelson Palacio battle for the ball during the second half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Real Salt Lake defender Philip Quinton, left, heads the ball as LAFC forward Kei Kamara misses during the second half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC midfielder Eduard Atuesta, left, reaches for the ball as Real Salt Lake midfielder Nelson Palacio goes after it during the second half of their MLS match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LAFC defender Aaron Long, top center, heads the ball during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Omar Campos looks on as fans in the stands hold up cell phones with lights on during the second half of their MLS match against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LOS ANGELES — Tied atop the MLS Western Conference, the second match of the regular-season series between the Los Angeles Football Club and Real Salt Lake did little to separate the two.
After losing a wild, snow-filled match in Salt Lake City in its second game of the season, LAFC attempted to get one back against RSL and regroup from Saturday’s shellacking against Columbus.
Starting the potent trio of Denis Bouanga, Mateusz Bogusz and Cristian Olivera in the attack for the first time since June 1, LAFC came out as expected with bursts of energy and creative combinations before playing to a 1-1 tie that left both LAFC (13-5-5) and RSL (12-4-8) at 44 points, two points behind the Galaxy (13-5-7). Both teams hold at least a game in hand on the Galaxy (LAFC has played two fewer matches).
Fresh off a month-long stint with Uruguay, which finished third in the just completed Copa America, Olivera’s speed and relentless motor got LAFC on the board in the fifth minute.
A 60-yard ball over the top of Real Salt Lake’s defenders by Eduard Atuesta gave Olivera room to run onto it at the same moment when visiting goalkeeper Zac MacMath took an indecisive touch outside the box.
Olivera’s fifth league goal of the season might have been his most difficult finish of the bunch. As MacMath scrambled back to his net, the 22-year-old winger turned with his back to goal and cut back a medium trajectory chip shot that hopped in for an early lead.
LAFC maintained its energy through the opening 15 minutes until midfielder Timothy Tillman left with an injury to his left leg, prompting LAFC to drop Bogusz into the midfield as Kei Kamara was inserted into the middle of the attack.
From that point on, LAFC was slower, more predictable and less dangerous against an opponent that arrived at BMO Stadium without its two best scoring options.
Missing the league’s leading goal-scorer, former LAFC fan favorite Cristian “Chicho” Arango, along with winger Andrés Gómez, RSL trotted out a lineup with 19 combined goals this season.
Arango had 17 prior to MLS suspending the Colombian per the terms of the league’s anti-harassment policy.
A three-game ban of Arango, plus next week’s All-Star festivities in Columbus, forced RSL to find other ways to score.
In the 33rd minute, RSL caught the break it had to have.
LAFC ready for U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal after Houston postponement
From 36 yards out, defender Brayan Vera’s first goal of the season took a slight deflection in the box off of LAFC midfielder Ilie Sanchez that caught goalkeeper Hugo Lloris who was prepared to stop a shot that was heading his direction.
It was another quiet contest for Lloris, who made two saves while MacMath stopped four, including a one-on-one moment against Bouanga in the 27th minute and a diving block on a dangerous strike by Bogusz before halftime.
The 1-1 score did not budge for the next 60-plus minutes as Salt Lake, sans Arango or Gómez, pressured the LAFC back line, amassing 18 shots to LAFC’s nine, five of which hit the target.
It was the second time this season that LAFC dropped points in a match after scoring first.
LAFC heads to Seattle on Saturday to play its last regular-season match prior to the beginning of the Leagues Cup tournament on July 26 against Club Tijuana at BMO Stadium.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok