Carlos Vela converted from the penalty spot deep into second-half stoppage time for his MLS leading 29th goal of the season to help LAFC salvage a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday night.
Vela converted after Chris Mavinga scissored down Latif Blessing inside the penalty area. Referee Ted Unkel initially awarded only a corner, but changed his ruling following a Video Review.
The Supporters' Shield leaders are still in a skid of sorts, winless in their last five while drawing four, and now officially can't clinch the overall top seed this weekend.
Jozy Altidore set up Tsubasa Endoh early for Toronto, who still clinched their place in the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs via the Montreal Impact's loss across town against the LA Galaxy.
The Reds are now unbeaten in their last eight matches, their longest such stretch since going 11 without a loss during a 2017 campaign season that ended in an MLS Cup title. But this time around, five of those eight results are draws.
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Goals
- 19' - TOR - Tsubasa Endoh | WATCH
- 90'+5 - LAFC - Carlos Vela (PK)
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Carlos Vela has now scored eight times from the penalty spot in 2019 in 10 attempts in league play. Atlanta United's Josef Martinez also counted eight penalties among his MLS single-season record of 31 goals, posted last year.
</li><li><strong>MOMENT OF THE MATCH: </strong>This will be one Chris Mavinga will want to have back, especially since he appeared to have situation covered had he not gone in for the challenge. While Unkel did not point to the spot in real time, on replay that's about as no-doubt as it gets.
</li><li><strong>MAN OF THE MATCH: </strong>Quentin Westberg. Kind of a tough decision here, but he kept his defense organized, had sure hands throughout, and made a couple potentially difficult saves look simple. In particular, his 50th-minute denial of Vela was much harder than it looked.
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Up Next
- LAFC: Wednesday, September 25 vs. Houston Dynamo (10:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in the US and on DAZN in Canada)
- TOR: Wednesday, September 25 vs. Montreal Impact, CanChamp Final Leg 2 (7:30 pm ET | OneSoccer)
