ATLANTA (AP) – Josef Martinez scored his third goal in his last three appearances as Atlanta United beat Los Angeles FC 1-0 on Sunday.
In a play on the counterattack, Martínez reached a low center by Ezequiel Barco on time and defined the first touch inside the area in the 47th minute.
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan had three saves to knock out his goal for the fourth time this season for Atlanta.
Mexican Gonzalo Pineda, who had been an assistant to the Seattle Sounders, was named Atlanta’s coach on Thursday, although interim Rob Valentino will keep that appointment until the team’s next game, Wednesday against Toronto.
Atlanta won back-to-back games after a 12-game winless streak.
LAFC lost three in a row and has not won in its last six games.
NASHVILLE 5, D.C 2
In Nashville, CJ Sapong and Alex Muyl each scored two goals and Nashville defeated DC United 5-2.
After Frédéric Brillant headed in on a Julian Gressel corner kick to open the scoring for United in the 3rd minute, Sapong responded in the 14th minute and gave Nashville a definitive lead in the 31st minute with an accurate header to the center. from Hany Mukhtar for 2-1.
Mukhtar added a goal in the 37th before Ola Kamara closed the gap for United to 3-2 before halftime. Kamara has scored in each of the last seven games and has eight goals in that span.
Muyl beat goalkeeper Jon Kempin in the 80th minute and converted from the penalty spot in the 87th to close the scoring.
CHICAGO 1, COLUMBUS 0
In Chicago, Luka Stojanovic scored for the third time in his last two games and the Chicago Fire beat the Columbus Crew 1-0.
Brian Gutiérrez’s shot was deflected into the box and the ball was just within reach of Stojanovic, who scored in the 77th minute. Stojanovic had his first game with at least two touchdowns in MLS in a 2-1 win over the Red Bulls from New York last week.
Chicago has wins in consecutive games and has not lost in its last four
The Crew went to four straight losses, in which they have conceded 12 goals. Last season, Columbus had just 21 touchdowns all season.
SEATTLE 6, SOUNDERS 2
Raul Ruidiaz scored the lead goal with a free throw and the Seattle Sounders did not stop scoring, in a 6-2 beating of the Portland Timbers in a Cascadia Cup game.
Ruidiaz and Fredy Montero contributed two goals each to help the Sounders (10-3-6) climb to second place in the Western conference, behind Sporting Kansas City. Seattle has allowed only 16 goals this season, the fewest total in MLS.
Jimmy Medranda and Nicolas Benezet also scored for Seattle. Sebastian Blanco and George Fochive both scored for Portland (7-9-2).
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