Kellyn Acosta scored as LAFC settled with a 1-1 tie with Philadelphia Union in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal on Wednesday.
“It’s 1-1 and we’re going back to L.A. and we have an away goal,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “It’s a game we want to win and if we win, we’re through to the final.”Goalkeeper John McCarthy was LAFC’s hero for the first 82 minutes, making three stout saves to keep the game scoreless. But that was wasted when Jack Mc-Glynn’s shot from just outside the box struck Acosta in the arm, leading Mexican referee César Ramos to award a penalty after a lengthy video review.
McCarthy, who stopped two penalties in the tie-breaking shootout in LAFC’s MLS Cup win over the Union last November, guessed wrong on Daniel Gazdag’s try, allowing the Union to take a 1-0 lead.Denis Bouanga scores his seventh goal of the season early in the second half as LAFC plays to a 1-1 draw with Nashville SC.
On the other end Philadelphia keeper Andre Blake was tested just once during regulation time, that coming in the 66th minute against Denis Bouanga. But LAFC came alive in stoppage time. A poor clearance attempt by Philadelphia struck the Union’s Leon Flach and caromed to Acosta, who laid the ball off and sprinted into the box. Timothy Tillman found him there with a right-footed cross that Acosta, who was going to the turf, reached back and deflected over a perfectly positioned Blake on a high bounce to tie the score and keep the series even.
“We are ecstatic with the result, obviously not the performance,” Cherundolo said. “But one thing about this team, they find ways and they never give up and they have the quality to put these goals in in these very small chances.”
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