Vela Strikes As Los Angeles FC Pulls Out Tie With Toronto

Washington, Sept 22 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Sep, 2019 ) :Carlos Vela delivered on a shot from the penalty spot five minutes into extra time as the Los Angeles FC rallied for a 1-1 tie against Toronto FC on Saturday night.

Tsubasa Endoh scored a first-half goal as Toronto FC still managed to extend its unbeaten streak to eight games but missed out on the full three points.

Vela scored after Latif Blessing took a late foul in the penalty area. Blessing was defending in the penalty area when his high left kick landed on the chest of Toronto's Chris Mavinga.

Vela scored his MLS-leading 29th goal of the season for LAFC, whose winless streak stretched to a season high five games.

Toronto is in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and moved closer to clinching a playoff spot with two games left in the season.

LAFC, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference in the postseason, has not won a game since defeating the San Jose Earthquakes 4-0 on August 21.

Elsewhere, Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez saw his 15-game Major League Soccer goal-scoring streak snapped and perhaps his season with it after going off with an apparent knee injury.

The 26-year-old Venezuelan striker collided with a teammate, awkwardly landed and was later removed on a stretcher in the 79th minute of defending MLS champion Atlanta United's 3-1 home victory over San Jose.

While it appeared to be a knee injury, Atlanta United head coach Frank de Boer said the team would learn more on Sunday.

"Probably tomorrow we can have a better diagnosis and then we have to make our plan," he said. "Hopefully it's not so bad. But I can't say if it's good or bad. I don't know." Ten-man United rallied after the 34th-minute exit of Cristian Espinoza following his second yellow card, a 90th-minute goal from Emerson Hyndman and another score two minutes into stoppage time by Gonzalo Martinez sealing the victory for Atlanta.

But the major concern was Martinez's injury, the reigning MLS Most Valuable Player failing to find the net for the first time in a league contest since July 7.

Martinez, whose streak is an MLS record, has 26 goals this season, three behind Vela.

Elsewhere, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Uriel Antuna assisted each other for a goal apiece, giving the Los Angeles Galaxy a 2-1 win over the Montreal Impact.

Antuna scored the go-ahead goal in the 50th minute after an unmarked Lassi Lappalainen headed in a cross from Impact teammate Saphir Taider.