Rossi, Pérez help LAFC tie Orlando City
PUBLISHED: September 8, 2019 at 12:48 am | UPDATED: September 8, 2019 at 1:17 am
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Adrien Pérez scored his first MLS goal and Diego Rossi also connected to help Los Angeles FC tie Orlando City 2-2 on Saturday night.
Rossi, on the right flank, cut inside to evade a defender, and rolled a pass to Adama Diomande, who turned and led Rossi toward the top of the 6-yard box, where he slipped a shot past diving goalkeeper Brian Rowe to tie it in the 78th minute.
Los Angeles (19-4-6), which was without Carlos Vela for the second consecutive game, is winless in its last three matches — its longest such streak this season. Vela, who leads MLS with 27 goals this season, injured his hamstring in a 3-3 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Aug. 25.
Pérez, a 23-year-old rookie making his first start and just his ninth appearance, first-timed a left-footer that deflected off the outstretched hand of Rowe into the net to open the scoring in the 12th minute. Luís Carlos "Nani" Almeida da Cunha immediately began his run after tapping the ensuing kickoff to Christian Higuiata, who played a long ball that led Nani to the top of the area where he chipped it over charging goalkeeper Tyler Miller into an open net to tie it moments later.
Benji Michel put away Ruan Carlos Gomes Costa da Silva's low cross with a sliding first-timer from point-blank range to give Orlando City a 2-1 lead in the 20th minute.
Orlando (9-13-8) has just one win in its last five matches.