Mateusz Bogusz took advantage of a red card and scored in the 63rd minute to send Los Angeles FC to a 1-0 victory over host Atlanta United on Saturday night.
Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan was sent off after fouling Bogusz, and Bogusz made the hosts pay on the ensuing free kick, putting a high shot in the center of the back of the net to pick up his fifth goal of the season.
Atlanta United (3-7-4, 13 points) followed with a frenzy of shots to try and draw even, but three missed the mark, and the other, a strike by Saba Lobjanidze, was saved by Hugo Lloris in the 69th minute.
Atlanta got new life when Los Angeles (7-4-3, 24 points) went down a man in the 81st minute. Eduard Atuesta was tagged with his second yellow card after fouling Thiago Almada.
But Bogusz’s goal still managed to stand as the match-winner, even with Derrick Williams and Luis Abram getting good looks down the stretch. Williams sent a shot over the top of the net in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, while Abram was wide left four minutes later.
Lloris finished with four saves to notch his fifth clean sheet of the campaign.
Guzan also had four saves before getting hit with the red card.
Los Angeles FC put pressure on Guzan early, but Guzan didn’t bend.
Bogusz sent a right-footed strike that was saved by Guzan in the 17th minute.
After Xande Silva was rejected by Lloris in the seventh minute, Atlanta never put a shot on target again for the rest of the first half. Daniel Rios had a look at the net from the center of the box in the 35th minute, but he sent a shot wide left.
Los Angeles is riding a three-match winning streak in MLS play. Atlanta United haven’t won in nine straight league matches (0-5-4).
–Field Level Media
