Football
2019 Major League Soccer, Regular Season
LAFC 
4
FT
 SJ
0
Reuters 5y

Vela scores wonder-goal as LAFC beat San Jose

Carlos Vela continued his stellar season with two goals to lead LAFC to a 4-0 victory over the visiting San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday night.

Vela raised his league-leading season goal total to 26, tied for fifth most in league history. The star striker needs just five over the final eight matches of the regular season to match the MLS single-season mark of 31 set last season by Atlanta United star Josef Martinez.

Forward Diego Rossi added his 14th goal of the season and also had an assist for LAFC (19-3-4, 61 points), who won their fifth straight match.

Forward Josh Perez scored his first MLS goal and goalkeeper Tyler Miller made six saves for his ninth shutout of the season for LAFC, who have outscored their opponents 71-25.

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The Earthquakes (11-10-5, 38 points) lost their third straight match and are winless over their past four contests. San Jose lost 5-0 to LAFC earlier this season.

Earthquakes coach Matias Almeyda was ejected in the 39th minute for vehemently arguing the non-call of an apparent hand ball against LAFC. The officiating crew didn't review the play.

LAFC got on the board in the sixth minute. Perez's hard left-footed shot was saved by San Jose goalkeeper Daniel Vega but the rebound caromed to Rossi, who slammed a right-footed blast past Vega.

The second goal was set by a hand ball on Earthquakes midfielder Anibal Godoy. Vela took the penalty kick and drilled a high left-footed shot that deflected off Vega's left hand en route to hitting the back of the net.

Shortly after Almeyda's ejection, Vela made it 3-0 in impressive individual fashion.

Vela dribbled past defender Florian Jungwirth, and then slowed to slip past Vega. Defender Nick Lima moved into the goal area and Vela closed in and chipped the ball past him in the 41st minute.

Perez made it a four-goal margin in the 81st minute as his close-range right-footed shot deflected off Vega on its way into the net.

San Jose forward Danny Hoesen had two solid opportunities. His right-footed shot hit the right post in the 32nd minute, and Miller got a hand on a Hoesen free kick in the 75th minute to deflect the ball off the crossbar.

Vega made six saves for the Earthquakes. San Jose had a 22-18 edge in shots but LAFC put more on target (11-7).

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