Playing its final league game before Wednesday night’s U.S. Open Cup Final, LAFC suffered a 3-1 loss on the road to FC Dallas on Saturday night. Head coach Steve Cherundolo made seven changes to the team that drew 1-1 at home with Austin FC on Wednesday night but was unable to come away with the three points that would have clinched a third consecutive playoff berth for LAFC.
Petar Musa gave FC Dallas a 1-0 halftime advantage before Patrickson Delgado and Logan Farrington scored two minutes apart in the second half to give the home side a three-goal advantage.
Eduard Atuesta pulled a goal back for LAFC in the 87th minute, but that would be as close as the club would get. With the loss, LAFC is now 14-8-7 for 49 points and in fourth place in the Western Conference with five regular-season games remaining.
The Black & Gold return to action on Wednesday in a massive match - the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT at BMO Stadium. The championship match against Sporting Kansas City is available to watch on Apple TV's MLS Season Pass with radio coverage on 710 AM ESPN, ESPN LA App, and KFWB 980 AM La Mera Mera.
NEWS & NOTES
- With the loss, LAFC is now 14-8-7 in the league this season for 49 points.
- This was LAFC’s 40th game of the year in all competitions. This is the third consecutive year in which the club has played 40 or more games.
- Goalkeeper Thomas Hasal made his LAFC debut, finishing the game with four saves.
- This was the first regular-season game that Hugo Lloris did not start for LAFC. He had played the full 90 minutes in each of LAFC’s first 28 regular season games, as well as six of seven games in Leagues Cup and two of four games in the Open Cup.
- Eduard Atuesta’s goal was his third of the season and the 10th of his MLS career.
- The three goals by Atuesta equal his MLS career-high, which he set in 2019.
- Omar Campos was credited with an assist on Atuesta’s goal. That was his third assist of the season and first away from BMO Stadium.
- Kei Kamara started for the 440th regular-season appearance of his MLS career.
