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Cristian Arango scored two goals and added an assist on Saturday as LAFC clinched a 3-1 victory over the visiting San Jose earthquakes to move closer to a playoff berth at the start of a busy streak to close the regular season.
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Danny Musovski also scored for LAFC (10-12-7, 37 points), which ended a four-game winless streak (0-3-1) before the just-ended international break. The club is still just outside the seventh and final place in the Western Conference playoffs.
LAFC goalie Jamal blackman made five saves for LAFC, while the Earthquakes goaltender JT Marcinkowski made two stops. Carlos fierro scored a goal for San Jose (8-12-9, 33 points), who saw their losing streak extend to three games, while also posting a 9-2 score in that span.
The two teams started an impressive six-game three-week streak to close out the regular season as LAFC sought to advance to the playoffs for the fourth time in four seasons in MLS.
LAFC showed its urgency when Musovski scored a pass to Arango’s back heel less than three minutes into the game. It was Musovski’s fourth goal of the season.
Arango gave LAFC a 2-0 lead in the 28th minute after committing a first foul in the San Jose penalty area. Jackson Yueill. Arango followed with a shot from the penalty spot.
The earthquakes erupted in the 61st minute when Carlos Fierro used his chest to redirect a corner from Javier Lopez to goal. Lopez’s corner kicked its way through traffic past LAFC’s goal to Fierro near the back post.
Arango’s second goal came during a two-on-one break Brian rodriguez in the 88th minute, as he put Rodriguez’s center pass on goal with his right foot. It was his eighth goal in 12 games this season.
LAFC won despite playing without a star striker Carlos Vela, who returned to training this week but still missed his ninth straight game with a hamstring injury.
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