Adama Diomande scored his first MLS brace of 2019, and LAFC bounced back from their U.S. Open Cup exit with a 3-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Stadium in Week 19 despite resting most of their regulars.
Diego Rossi tallied a late insurance goal as the visitors won their third league match in a row to tighten their grip on the Supporters' Shield chase.
Lee Nguyen set up Diomande's fifth and sixth goals of the season for LAFC, which played with nine changes from the starting XI that manager Bob Bradley fielded two nights earlier in a 1-0 USOC quarterfinal defeat to the Portland Timbers.
In his first start back from the Concacaf Gold Cup, goalkeeper Tyler Miller made four saves to keep LAFC in it early before Diomande and company got going.
Romell Quioto gave Houston the lead very early, but his teammates missed numerous chances to add to it, with Alberth Elis the worst culprit. It all amounted to the Dynamo's first home league loss in 2019, and seventh in eight matches overall.
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Goals
- 3' - HOU - Romell Quioto | WATCH
- 45'+2' LAFC - Adama Diomande | WATCH
- 49' - LAFC - Adama Diomande | WATCH
- 88' - LAFC - Diego Rossi | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Not only did LAFC get a needed morale boost after a rare home defeat in the Open Cup, they did it while giving some presumably much-needed rest to star attacker Carlos Vela. The 30-year-old Mexican international did make the trip to Houston after playing 90 minutes Wednesday. But with LAFC building on their lead in the second half, Bradley was able to keep him on the bench. He'd previously played all but 10 minutes for his team in all competitions this season.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: It could've been so different for Houston, which will probably never get a more favorable matchup against LAFC in terms of personnel on the field. But they couldn't beat Miller more than once, and on the off time they did, Mohamed El-Munir made an exceptional goal-line clearance in the 26th minute.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Adama Diomande. Not that difficult, this one.
Up Next
- HOU: Wednesday, July 17 at Atlanta United (7 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN)
- LAFC: Friday, July 19 at LA Galaxy (10 pm ET | ESPN, TSN2)
