Damir Kreilach scored two goals and assisted another as Real Salt Lake bounced No. 3 seed Los Angeles FC from the MLS Cup Playoffs in an entertaining 3-2 match at Banc of California Stadium on Friday.
One of Kreilach’s goals was straight out of “The Karate Kid,” a standing volley that called to mind Daniel LaRusso’s crane kick.
Danilo Silva and Christian Ramirez scored for Bob Bradley’s LAFC, which goes down in its first playoff match.
Jefferson Savarino also netted for RSL, who will meet Sporting KC in the conference semifinals. Seattle and Portland will stage a Cascadia Derby in the other semi.
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The match started late, but the scoring arrived after just 20 minutes.
Former Liverpool academy man Brooks Lennon chased down a loose ball and sent an arrow cross to the penalty spot.
Kreilach settled the ball and had time to lash it home.
The lead lasted about 10 minutes, as LAFC leveled through Silva’s header of a Carlos Vela cross.
.@LAFC pull one back! Danilo Silva bangs in the header.#LAFCvRSL // @Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs https://t.co/xSZsfKuB8U
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 2, 2018
It stayed 1-1 into the break, but not much longer.
Lee Nguyen set up Ramirez for his goal in the 54th, with an answering coming from Kreilach within five minutes.
And, well, holy cow, guys and girls:
Damir Kreilach ARE YOU KIDDING US?! #LAFCvRSL // @Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs https://t.co/OTWcWEaCth
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 2, 2018