Adama Diomande’s hat trick — the first in club history — led Los Angeles FC to a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia Union at Banc of California stadium in Los Angeles Saturday evening. Diomande scored two before Fafa Picault pulled one back at the end of the first half. But the big LA striker grabbed his third and Latif Blessing finished the match off in extra time of the second half to keep Bob Bradley’s charges undefeated at home (4-0-3) on the season.
Borek Dockal missed the match due to personal reasons, so Ilsinho slotted into the center of the midfield and Marcus Epps started on the right wing. The match began with pressure from Los Angeles up the Union left. Benny Feilhaber released Latif Blessing through the Union defensive line but the winger was just offside.
As the teams felt each other out, Alejandro Bedoya started sniffing out chances to creep forward, and in the 10th minute he set up CJ Sapong for a glorious opportunity. Touching the ball toward the box, Bedoya found space and picked his head up, finding Sapong alone near the penalty spot. The striker got the ball caught between his feet, and once it popped into the air, LA goalie Tyler Miller was able to fly off his line to clear the danger.
The match became cagey, with each side looking to create turnovers in midfield and counter at speed through their wings. Both strikers were dropping deep into the middle, leading to a muddled situation.
But in the 25th minute, Auston Trusty gifted the ball to LA near the top of Philly’s defensive third and Adama Diomande made him pay. Feilhaber again played provider, sending Diomande behind Trusty and forcing McKenzie to rotate across. Diomande crossed up the young defender and fired a perfect strike past Andre Blake inside the far post.
Three minutes later, Bedoya nearly tied the match when he nodded Ilsinho’s corner kick toward the back post. LA left back Joao Moutinho was in position, though, and he bent to head the ball clear.
In the 42nd minute, LA doubled their lead with Diomande again on the end of the move. Building off a throw-in down the Union right, Mark-Anthony Kay brought the ball forward and a quick combination gave Feilhaber the ball with space at the top of the box. He played Kaye behind the Union defense and a simple centering pass gave Diomande a tap-in.
But Philadelphia pulled one back just before halftime. Creavalle’s long ball was headed into space by Ciman, and Bedoya collected it, quickly releasing Epps up the right. The young winger put in a vicious curling cross and Miller flapped at it, leaving the ball bouncing in front of goal where Picault was the first to arrive. The Union winger carefully tucked it home to cut LA’s lead in half and give the Union some momentum heading into the second forty-five.
After colliding with Ilsinho just after the second half began, LA holding midfielder Eduard Atuesta had to leave the the match in the 51st minute. Aaron Kovar replaced the midfielder, but played on the right wing with Nguyen dropping into the center of the pitch.
Moments later, Kovar played a part in Diomande’s third goal of the match. Nguyen combined with Moutinho and Blessing through the middle, with the latter sending Kovar behind the defense on the right. The substitute’s low cross to Blessing was busted up by McKenzie, but the ball popped into the air and Diomande beat Blake to it at the back post, powering home his hat trick goal.
In the 60th minute, Kovar was on the end of a move from left to right, cutting onto his left to force a diving stop by Blake with a shot from the top of the box.
David Accam came on for Epps in the 62nd minute, playing up the right. Soon after, Bedoya was charging up Accam’s side and beat his man to open a crossing opportunity. The ball was cleared by LA as the home side maintained its two goal advantage.
Nguyen thought he had added a fourth in the 78th minute when he followed up Kovar’s shot off the post and tucked the ball into an open net. As the former New England Revolution man celebrated, though, he noticed the linesman’s flag raised for offside.
Anthony Fontana came on in the 81st minute for Ilsinho to earn his first minutes since May 19. The homegrown talent took ver corner kick duties and in the 92nd minute he delivered a great ball that Trusty just missed with his head, leaving the ball to bounce off Cory Burke — who had come on for Sapong in the 72nd minute — and out of play.
In the 95th minute, LA got their fourth through Latif Blessing after Blake denied Nguyen on a break. McKenzie’s poor touch led to an open ball and quick LA counterattack. Nguyen fired at Blake, and though the goalie slowed the ball down, it still snuck behind him. Blessing and Gaddis raced toward the ball and the Los Angeles winger was the first to it, blasting into an open net to make the final scoreline 4-1.
The Union return home Saturday, July 7, to face Atlanta United FC on Fireworks Night at Talen Energy Stadium.
