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Columbus and LAFC make winning starts to new MLS season / Photo: © AFP
Columbus and LAFC make winning starts to new MLS season
Champions Columbus Crew and beaten finalists Los Angeles FC made a winning starts to the new Major League Soccer season on Saturday.
The Crew began their title defence with Colombian Cucho Hernandez on target in a 1-0 win over Atlanta United.
French World Cup winner Hugo Lloris made his debut for LAFC as they beat the Seattle Sounders 2-1 in a re-match of last year's Western Conference semi-finals.
Lloris, who moved to Los Angeles from Tottenham Hotspur, was brought into action in just the third minute, producing a fine reflex save to deny Jordan Morris.
French-born Gabon international Denis Bouanga, the league's top scorer last season, was a constant threat to the Seattle defence seeing a shot cleared off the line and then hitting the bar with a deflected effort.
But LA got in front on the stroke of half-time when Mexican Omar Campos got to the byline and whipped in a cross which was expertly volleyed home by Timothy Tillman.
Bouanga hit the bar again in the 47th minute with a curling shot from the edge of the box before Polish midfielder Mateusz Bogusz doubled the lead with a super strike into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Seattle gave themselves a lifeline when Jordan Morris was ruled, after a VAR review, to have been brought down by Aaron Long and Argentine Pedro de la Vega, who had made his debut as a substitute just five minutes earlier, confidently slotted home the spot kick.
French coach Wilfried Nancy led the Crew to an MLS Cup triumph over Los Angeles FC in December and has kept his squad largely intact as they seek their third title in five years.
Hernandez fired the Crew ahead in the 27th minute after Diego Rossi got behind the Atlanta defence and fired over a low cross which the striker buried with a right-foot drive.
Columbus had a great chance to double their lead, nine minutes after the interval, when Mohamed Farsi broke into the box and was barged over by Stian Gregersen.
After a lengthy VAR review, the penalty was given only for Hernandez to see his effort superbly saved by veteran former USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan diving to his right.
Columbus had their keeper Patrick Schulte to thanks for maintaining the lead as he foiled Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis after he had been found in the box by Xande Silva.
The opening round of the new season had started on Wednesday with Inter Miami and Lionel Messi defeating Real Salt Lake 2-0.
Later on Saturday, English manager Dean Smith takes charge of Charlotte for the first time as they host New York City.
D.Choi--SG
