AUSTIN, Texas — Both teams were coming off losses and were looking to prove something to each other and themselves. LAFC and Austin FC, the top two seeded teams in the Western Conference, were playing with the intention to send a league-wide memo declaring supremacy.
The buzz started early on Friday night when it was announced that Gareth Bale was going to make his first start for the Black & Gold. However, Austin quickly shut that down and started its own party. Goals from Diego Fagundez, Sebastian Driussi, and a brace from Maxi Urruti lifted Austin past LAFC with a 4-1 victory and closed the gap in the Supporters' Shield race to six points.
Here are a few takeaways from the match.
Cifuentes had an unusual game
Third on the team in goals with seven, and second in assists with six, Jose Cifuentes has been magnificent for LAFC all year long. The Ecuadorian international has made tremendous strides in his development and is having a breakout season for the Black & Gold.
In fact, clubs in England are reportedly inquiring about Cifuentes. Those clubs will be scratching their heads after Cifuentes' subpar performance on Friday night.
In the first half, Cifuentes missed several opportunities to find his teammates on the run as his final pass was either too heavy, lacking in weight, or just completely off target.
There were two runs in specific that caught my attention, one made by Bale and one made by Arango, both towards the inside of the box. On a normal day, the 23-year-old connects on those passes but with the lack of sharpness from LAFC in the first half, nobody was saved, not even the usually magnificent Cifuentes.
It can't get any worse than this
In the first half, Jesus Murillo was unable to control what seemed a simple pass in the backline, allowing Sebastian Driussi to steal the ball and run towards the goal. Eddie Segura stretched out his arm and fouled Driussi to award the home team a free kick. Unfortunately for LAFC, that free kick was beautifully taken by Fagundez to open the score in the 31st minute.
"They caused us to make mistakes and they capitalized on those mistakes," acknowledged Steve Cherundolo.
Down at the half, LAFC made one substitution at the break, as Sebastian Mendez entered the game for Latif Blessing. Two minutes later, miscommunication in the Black & Gold defense led to Urruti being unmarked inside the box as Nick Lima's chipped cross found the Argentinian for the header to double the lead.
Three minutes later, another indecisive moment along the LAFC backline cost the Black & Gold a third goal. Fagundez played a threaded, but slow, pass towards the box hopeful to find Urruti. The ball found itself between three LAFC players and with Hollingshead's missed tackle and the other two defenders' lack of decision, Urruti was able to get on the end of it, dribble around Crepeau and score his second of the game. 3-0.
Austin wasn't done because it wouldn't be a party without Driussi. The MVP and Golden Boot front runner left his stamp on the game in the 58th minute when a quick turn inside the box and a far-post finish earned the Argentinian his 19th goal of the year.
It was by far, LAFC's worst defensive performance. The team allowed four goals in under 25 minutes, three of them conceded in a ten-minute period.
"There were some pretty big defensive blunders we haven't shown all season," said Cherundolo. "There were some fairly large individual blunders and poor performances by players who have been fantastic all year."
An ineffective attack
LAFC did not have a shot on goal in the first half. When you have names like Vela, Bale, and Arango unable to produce any quality chances on the attack, it calls for concern.
In the second half, there was a slight improvement, but not by much. Arango was able to get on the scoresheet in the 61st minute after a rebound inside the box fell to the Colombian for his 13th goal of the year.
Down by three in the second half, Cherundolo removed Vela and Bale from the field to make way for youngsters Kwadwo Opoku and Danny Trejo. It was not a great night for anyone by any means necessary but when you have a big game like this, with the quality players on the roster, it's very disappointing and does not bode well for the confidence of the players during the final stretch of the season, especially with the possibility of playing this Austin team again in the playoffs.
"We lost the game tonight, deservedly," stated Cherundolo. "We will review this, we will reflect on it, and players will also reflect on their performances."