Nathan Ordaz scored in the 79th minute Wednesday night and Los Angeles FC knocked off visiting Austin FC 2-1 for a 1-0 lead in the teams’ best-of-3 first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Coming on in the 74th minute for Mathieu Choiniere, Ordaz made the instant impact coach Steve Cherundolo desired. Denis Bouanga’s shot from the left side of the box deflected off a defender, went over goalie Brad Stuver’s head and was chipped into the net by Ordaz.
Austin protested for an offside flag, but the goal was allowed to stand, meaning LAFC can advance to the conference semifinals if it can win on Sunday night in Austin. A possible third game would take place Nov. 8 in Los Angeles.
The visitors equalized 1-1 in the 63rd minute via Jon Gallagher. Off a cross in the middle of the box, Myrto Uzuni won possession and got it to Owen Wolff. He fed Gallagher on the left side, and Gallagher curled a shot by diving goalie Hugo Lloris.
LAFC enjoyed an 18-8 advantage in shots and got five shots to net while Austin managed only two. Stuver kept the game tied in the 69th minute when he denied Ryan Hollingshead’s point-blank header from the box’s middle.
The main storyline going into the match was if LAFC could turn the tables on Austin, which won both regular-season matches 1-0 on set-piece goals. It was assumed that having Son Heung-Min, who didn’t play in either meeting, pairing with Bouanga would change the outcome.
And LAFC did score first, although neither one of its stars got on the scoresheet. In fact, none of its players did. Hollingshead’s shot from an acute angle in the box deflected off the foot of Austin’s Brendan Hines-Ike and past a helpless Stuver in the 20th minute.
That lead stayed intact for the first half’s remainder as LAFC controlled the ball and maintained its defensive shape to the point that Austin couldn’t even get a shot on frame.
–Field Level Media
