FC Dallas 2-0 LAFC (Jul 1, 2023) Game Analysis – ESPN

Bernard Kamungo and Sam Junqua scored second-half goals as FC Dallas held on for a 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC on Saturday in a Western Conference match in Frisco, Texas.

FC Dallas (8-7-5, 29 points) did just enough with their short-handed lineup to beat the defending MLS champs, scoring on both their shots on goal and getting the fifth clean sheet of the season from goalkeeper Maarten Paes. Paes made three saves in the match.

Dallas played without leading scorer Jesus Ferreira as he continues to play with the U.S. men’s national team.

Los Angeles (9-5-5, 32 points) has just two wins its past seven matches and has dropped two straight.

LAFC had the only shot on goal in the first half when Mateusz Bogusz’s shot from long range in the 25th minute was saved in the bottom right corner by Paes. Los Angeles dominated the first half statistics, uncorking eight shots to just two for the Toros, but had nothing to show for it.

Denis Bouanga had an excellent chance to break the scoreless deadlock in the 55th minute, but his shot from outside the box was batted away by Paes.

Then Dallas found the net in the 56th minute when Kamungo was in the right place at the right time to push the ball past LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy as he reached out to grab a headed pass into the goalmouth by the Toros’ Nkosi Tafari.

LAFC pushed hard for the equalizer and had another opportunity thanks to Bouanga. He ripped a shot in the 64th minute that was stopped by Paes at the top left corner, keeping Dallas in the lead.

The Toros put the match away in the 90th minute when Junqua and Tsiki Ntsabeleng worked a keen give-and-go play to get Junqua outside the defense and to his left foot, from where he blasted a shot inside the near post that beat McCarthy.

–Field Level Media