LOS ANGELES (AP) — Christian Ramírez scored a goal in each half, Juan “Cucho” Hernández and Alexandru Matan both had a goal and an assist and the defending-champion Columbus Crew thumped Los Angeles FC 5-1 on Saturday night with three red cards being handed out late in a testy rematch of last year’s championship match
The Crew (12-3-6), who earned a 2-1 victory in Columbus to win the MLS Cup last season, earned their fifth straight victory and snapped a 10-match unbeaten run by LAFC (13-5-4) that had moved the club into a three-way tie for first place in the Western Conference with Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy. All three leaders lost on Saturday.
Three players won’t be suiting up for matches on Wednesday after receiving red cards. LAFC lost defender Sergi Palencia in the 83rd minute and defender Jesús Murillo in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Columbus midfielder Marino Hinestroza was sent off when Murillo exited.
Columbus took a 1-0 lead into halftime when Ramírez used Max Arfsten’s fifth assist of the season and Cucho’s eighth to score in the 38th minute.
Hernández gave the Crew a two-goal lead in the 56th minute with his 12th goal of the campaign. Defender Steven Moreira picked up his third assist on the score. Diego Rossi made it 3-0 four minutes later when he scored unassisted. It was his eighth netter this season.
Ramírez scored for a seventh time this season with an assist from Matan — his first — one minute after Palencia was hit with a red card for a four-goal advantage.
Nathan Ordaz, a 20-year-old forward, scored his first career goal for LAFC. It came unassisted with the club a man down in the 85th minute. Ordaz has made three starts and 28 appearances in his two seasons in the league.
Matan, who replaced Hernández in the 82nd minute, capped the scoring when he took a pass from Darlington Nagbe in the 89th minute and found the net for the first time this season. Nagbe’s assist was his second of the season.
Patrick Schulte saved four shots for Columbus. Hugo Lloris had three saves for LAFC, which lost at home for the first time this season.
The Crew, who improve to 6-2-3 away from home, have scored 20 goals during the win streak. They have won nine of their last 10 matches overall and six of their last seven on the road. The club has a plus-26 goal differential, tops in the league. Columbus has also allowed a league-low 23 goals.
LAFC entered the match with the second-best goal differential at plus-19. LAFC posted a 3-0 victory over the Crew the last time they came to town on May 11, 2019. Columbus has won two titles since then.
LAFC advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals for the first time since 2018 with a 3-1 victory over New Mexico United on Wednesday.
The Crew head home to take on Charlotte FC on Wednesday. LAFC will host Real Salt Lake on Wednesday.
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