MLS Recap: LAFC's Adama Diomande Scores Late Winner, Luciano Acosta Leads D.C. Past Atlanta
LOS ANGELES — Adama Diomande scored in stoppage time to help LAFC beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 on Sunday night in the MLS opener for both teams.
Diomande, who came on in the 59th minute, cut back to evade a defender at the top-left corner of the box and blasted a rising shot into the net in the fourth minute of injury time.
Krisztian Nemeth gave Sporting KC a 1-0 lead in the 16th. He tapped it to Johnny Russell who passed it back to Nemeth for the one-touch finish from near the spot.
Eduard Atuesta, from near midfield, perfectly placed a long, arcing pass to Diego Rossi on the left side. He cut to the middle, past defender Graham Zusi, before bending a low shot past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Tim Melia, just inside the far post, to make it 1-1 in the 47th minute.
Sporting's Roger Espinosa, who received a yellow card 31st, was shown a red in the 84th minute.
D.C. United 2, Atlanta United 0
WASHINGTON — Luciano Acosta scored and assisted on Paul Arriola's goal to help D.C. United beat defending champion Atlanta United 2-0 on Sunday night in the MLS opener for both teams.
D.C. United is unbeaten in its last 11 regular-season matches.
Arriola opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time. Wayne Rooney's corner kick was deflected by Acosta toward the near post, where Arriola, who started in front of the net before looping around multiple defenders, first-timed the finish.
Acosta took a pass from Lucas Rodriguez and, from well outside the box, ripped a right-footer between two defenders that froze goalkeeper Brad Guzan before skipping past him to make it 2-0 in the 58th minute. Rodriguez, a 21-year-old Venezuelan, made his MLS debut after signing with D.C. United on loan from Estudiantes de La Plata.
Bill Hamid had two saves for his fourth shutout in his last five regular-season starts.
