Mateusz Bogusz scored a hat trick, leading Los Angeles FC to a 3-0 victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.
LAFC (12-4-4, 40 points), who are tied atop the West, are unbeaten in their last nine league matches and 11 outings across all competitions. Los Angeles is also unbeaten at home (9-0-2).
L.A. keeper Hugo Lloris made one save to earn his eighth clean sheet of the season, and Los Angeles improved to 7-4-1 all-time against Colorado across all competitions.
Colorado (9-8-4, 31 points) saw its three-match win streak come to an end.
Bogusz gave LAFC a 3-0 lead in the 72nd minute, picking up a one-touch pass from Kei Kamara and putting a right-footed shot from the center of the area past keeper Zack Steffen for his 12th goal of the season.
Saturday was Bogusz’s third multi-goal game of the season. The LAFC midfielder has five goals in his last two matches and eight over his previous seven outings.
Bogusz’s second of the night came in the 58th minute. He picked up the bounce off Denis Bouanga’s shot and put his strike past Steffen.
LAFC controlled the first half possession, had four shots on target and led 1-0 after 45 minutes.
Bogusz opened the scoring in the 20th minute, one-timing a Bouanga cross. Bouanga picked up his ninth assist of the season.
Colorado forward Kevin Cabral picked up a yellow card three minutes in and was sent off with his second yellow in the 62nd minute for fouling on Bogusz.
The Rapids edged LAFC 3-2 on March 30 in Commerce City, Colo.
Colorado will play the first of three straight home matches when it faces Sporting Kansas City on Thursday. LAFC will take on the host LA Galaxy that same day.
–Field Level Media
