Cristian Arango reminds LAFC what it’s missing in Real Salt Lake victory
Cristian Arango scored the lone goal, Zac MacMath finished with seven saves and Real Salt Lake snapped a seven-match losing streak against LAFC with a 1-0 victory on Sunday night.
Real Salt Lake (13-11-7) jumps over LAFC (12-10-9) into a tie for second place in the Western Conference with the Seattle Sounders. LAFC would have clinched a playoff spot with a victory.
Neither team scored until Rubio Rubín subbed in for Real Salt Lake in the 69th minute and picked up an assist in the 72nd on Arango’s sixth goal of the season. Braian Ojeda also notched an assist on the score.
LAFC quest for the Campeones Cup trophy fell short in a 4-2 penalty kick shootout loss to Tigres on Wednesday at Banc of California Stadium.
Arango played for LAFC during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, winning an MLS Cup title with the team last year.
Maxime Crépeau had three saves in his fourth start of the season for LAFC.
LAFC entered the match with an 11-1-0 all-time record against Real Salt Lake. It is the highest win percentage in any series in league history with at least five matchups. But the club continues to struggle to score goals. Had Arango not scored LAFC would have matched the 2012 Real Salt Lake club as the only ones to play to four straight scoreless draws in all competitions.
Real Salt Lake ends a four-match losing streak away from home in all competitions. The road slide came on the heels of an 11-match unbeaten run. The club allowed 11 goals in the four losses after yielding just 12 in the unbeaten streak.
LAFC has failed to score in 13 matches this season in all competitions. The club was blanked 19 times in its first five seasons and never more than five in a single campaign.
LAFC will host Minnesota United on Wednesday. Real Salt Lake returns home to host Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
