LAFC saw its 13-game unbeaten streak in all competitions come to an end with a 5-1 loss to the Columbus Crew on Saturday night at BMO Stadium. In a rematch of the 2023 MLS Cup, the Crew opened the scoring late in the opening half before adding four more goals in the second half. Nathan Ordaz scored the only goal of the game for LAFC, which finished with nine men on the field after both Sergi Palencia and Jesús Murillo were sent off in the second half.
Despite the loss, which was LAFC’s first at home this season, the club remains in first place in the Western Conference with a 13-5-4 record for 43 points. The club remains atop the Western Conference standings, ahead of Real Salt Lake and the LA Galaxy, each of whom lost Saturday night and also have 43 points. (LAFC retains the top spot by virtue of having more wins than the other two sides.)
Columbus took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break after former LAFC forward Christian Ramirez headed a Max Arfsten cross past Hugo Lloris from close range.
After the break, Columbus scored a pair of goals in the opening 15 minutes with Cucho Hernández making the score 2-0 in the 56th minute, and former LAFC forward Diego Rossi making it 3-0 in the 60th minute.
In the 83rd minute, LAFC was reduced to 10 men when Palencia was shown a second yellow card and sent off. From the ensuing free kick, Ramirez scored his second goal of the game to make the score 4-0.
LAFC pulled a goal back in the 85th minute when Nathan Ordaz finished a rebound of a David Martínez shot for the first regular-season goal of his MLS career to make the score 4-1.
Columbus got a fifth in the 89th minute from Alexandru Matan to make the score 5-1 and become the first team to ever score five goals against LAFC at BMO Stadium.
Late in second-half stoppage time, both teams had a player sent off with LAFC’s Jesús Murillo and the Crew’s Marino Hinestroza each being shown red cards by referee Lukasz Szpala.
LAFC returns to MLS action in just four days when the club hosts Real Salt Lake at BMO Stadium on Wednesday, July 17. That game kicks off at 7:45 p.m. and is available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, FS1, 710 AM ESPN LA and 980 AM La Mera Mera.
NEWS & NOTES
- With the loss, LAFC’s club-record 13-game unbeaten streak in all competitions has come to an end.
- The loss also ends LAFC’s 10-game MLS unbeaten streak during which the club had gone 9-0-1 for 28 of a possible 30 points.
- This was LAFC’s first loss in all competitions since a 3-1 road loss to San Jose on May 4.
- Tonight’s loss ended LAFC’s 16-game home unbeaten streak in all competitions dating back to the 2023 season. LAFC had not lost at BMO Stadium since a 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake on October 1, 2023. The club was 14-0-2 at home since then before tonight’s defeat.
- Nathan Ordaz entered the game in the 80th minute, replacing Denis Bouanga, and scored the first MLS goal of his career five minutes later.
- This was Ordaz’s 11th regular-season appearance of the season and the 28th of his MLS career. He has played a total of 425 minutes in those 28 appearances, three of which were starts.
- Ordaz has now scored three goals with the LAFC first team, having scored twice in Leagues Cup last season.
- Eddie Segura entered the game in the 66th minute to make the 100th regular-season appearance of his LAFC career.
- Mateusz Bogusz saw his streak of 10 straight league games with a goal or an assist come to an end. He scored nine goals and five assists in that time and is now second on the team in goals (12) and assists (6) on the season.
- After registering 20 or more shots in each of the last three MLS games, LAFC finished tonight’s game with 17 shots, including five shots on target.
- Jesús Murillo and Sergi Palencia were each sent off in the second half. It was the first regular-season red card for each player.
