Undefeated in its last four matches after Wednesday night’s 3-1 win over FC Dallas at home, Los Angeles FC keeps rolling as the top team in Major League Soccer.
One of the new faces of the team, veteran defender Giorgio Chiellini, watched and celebrated from one of the boxes at the Banc of California Stadium the victory of his new teammates.
“I would say that LAFC is the perfect team for me because the team is full of young players. I think they can help me,” the 37-year old Chiellini said Wednesday during his introductory press conference and before being presented to LAFC fans.
“Surely it’s impossible for me to have the same physical characteristic like 10 years ago, but I can bring also something to them, and we have to create a good mix with experience and enthusiasm with younger players in order to become a winner.”
After the final whistle, Chiellini, who is eligible to debut on July 8, jumped to the pitch to sing with his new teammates the LAFC’s victory song in front of their supporters.
LAFC remained atop the Western Conference at 11-3-3, its 36 points the highest total in the league. Danny Musovski, Cristian “Chicho” Arango and Kwadwo Opoku scored goals in the win, enough to offset possible U.S. National Team World Cup team member Jesus Ferreira‘s goal in the first half.
LAFC got a key save from goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau in the 11th minute, when he managed to get a hand on Edwin Cerrillo‘s attempt from distance. The next quality scoring chance went to the hosts, and Musovski gathered in a long ball from Jose Cifuentes and scored in the 23rd minute.
Ferreira’s goal, his 10th of the season, came off a free kick. Dallas faked an initial try that brought Crepeau far enough out of the net to be unable to recover enough to stop the actual kick from Ferreira, and FC Dallas (7-5-5, 26 points) tied the game in the 38th minute.
Arango got on the other end of a rolling pass just ahead of the Dallas defense and picked a corner of the net in the 57th minute. And the capper of a successful night was Opoku’s strike that hit the post and went over the goal line in the 86th minute.
Carlos Vela, signed to a contract extension for another year this week, assisted on two goals. LAFC is flying high as the top team in MLS, and improved its roster with the recent announcements of Gareth Bale and Chiellini being signed.
FC Dallas is 1-4-1 over its last six matches but is in fourth place in the West. Overall, the team has lost four of the last five matches against LAFC.
Dallas has allowed 12 goals in the past six matches after giving up just eight in its first 11 games of the season.