LOS ANGELES (AP) — Carlos Vela scored his third career MLS hat-trick and Los Angeles FC began the season with a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
According to MLS, this is the fifth time a player has scored a hat trick in the opening game of a season. The last to achieve it had been Mike Magee, of the Los Angeles Galaxy, in 2013, against the Chicago Fire.
Vela was the MLS Most Valuable Player in 2019, with 34 goals, before being limited by a series of injuries. The Mexican managed just nine goals in 27 appearances during the last two seasons.
“We all know what he can do, and he showed it again today,” LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo said. “He has worked very hard before this season to get to where he is today. He knows that, to be able to play like that, he needs to work, and he has done it”.
Only two players have remained with LAFC since their first campaign in 2018, Vela and Latif Blessing. However, Vela’s contract renewal alternative expires in June.
Colorado was the leader of the Western Conference last regular season, but it seemed out of rhythm.
Vela began to tip the scales in favor of the hosts in the 29th minute when he converted a penalty after Lalas Abubakar had handballed.
The Cancun striker tricked goalkeeper William Yarbrough, executing his shot to the left.
Six minutes later, Vela got behind the Rapids defenders to get to a long pass from Ecuador’s José Cifuentes and finish with a right hand.
The seventh hat-trick in LAFC history was consummated when Vela scored with his left foot inside the box.
A couple of hours earlier, Robin Lod scored the first goal of the season, and Minnesota United drew 1-1 at the Philadelphia Union.
In another result, the Spaniard Miguel Berry, the Costa Rican Luis Diaz and the Argentine Lucas Zelarayán each contributed so many so that the Columbus Crew thrashed the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-0.
Austin shook Cincinnati 5-0, with a double by Paraguayan Cecilio Domínguez, while Inter Miami and the Chicago Fire tied without goals.
The goal of the day was scored by Colombian Yimmy Chará, who scored from a bicycle kick in the 78th minute for the Portland Timbers to draw 2-2 against the New England Revolution.
“I definitely had a lot of chances to score nice goals, but a bicycle kick is always a good chance, so I’m very happy with this,” Chará said.
The other Portland was also manufactured in Colombia, through Dairon Asprilla.
The New York Red Bulls defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1, Dallas drew 1-1 with Toronto and DC United thrashed Charlotte, the new team in the league, 3-0, with a double by Ecuadorian Michael Estrada.
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