🇺🇸 MLS: Quakes stun 10-man LAFC, Union hit DC for 6️⃣, Miami beat TFC | OneFootball

It was another busy Saturday of Major League Soccer action as the battle for play-off positions hots up.

LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders got the weekend off to a thrilling start with a dramatic 3-3 draw on Friday night.

Here is how it all played out…

San Jose Earthquakes v LAFC

Scorers: Kikanović 14′, Cowell 77′; Opoku 54′

It was a meeting of top versus almost bottom as leaders LAFC have made the trip north to face San Jose.

And the Quakes sprung a surprise early on when Benjamin Kikanović provided a clinical left-footed finish after a cut-back from Tommy Thompson.

Cristian Arango came agonisingly close to equalising for LAFC five minutes before the break when his shot crashed off the underside of the bar but not over the line.

The Black and Gold did level, however, thanks to Kwadwo Opoku’s lovely dinked effort over JT Marcinkowski after a perfect through ball from Kellyn Acosta.

But the struggling hosts hit back with just under 15 minutes remaining when Cade Cowell fired home a fabulous volley off Thompson’s cross.

And it went from bad to worse for LAFC as substitute Ilie Sánchez was dismissed after picking up two yellow cards.

Despite the defeat, LAFC remain eight points clear of Austin atop the Western Conference.

San Jose’s seventh win of the season lifts them to 12th and within six points of the play-off spots.

Inter Miami v Toronto

Scorers: Mora 24′, Lassiter 44′; Insigne 28′

Inter Miami continued their recent good form with a vital victory over Toronto.

The visitors suffered a setback when Miami midfielder Jean Mota’s speculative effort somehow slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Alex Bono.

However Lorenzo Insigne hit back for Toronto just four minutes later with a superb volley from distance to level matters.

Miami retook the lead, though, with Ariel Lassiter forcing the ball home after being set up by a beautifully cushioned header from Damion Lowe.

And the Floridians held on to take all three points and move up to fifth place in the East.

Defeat leaves TFC in 11th position, three points outside the play-off spots.

DC United v Philadelphia Union

Scorers: Uhre 37′, Gazdag 45+4′ (pen), Carranza 47′, 70′, 74′, Burke 79′

The task facing Wayne Rooney at DC United was laid bare as Philadelphia Union ran riot at FedEx Field.

The visitors took the lead when Mikael Uhre controlled Julián Carranza’s cross brilliantly on his chest before finishing from close range.

That lead was doubled in first-half stoppage time when Dániel Gazdag scored from the spot after Tony Alfaro was punished for a rash tackle on Uhre.

It got even worse for DC just after the break when Carranza curled home a beautiful effort to put the finish touch to a devastating counter-attack.

More awful defending allowed Carranza to notch his second after Cory Burke’s initial effort had come back off the upright.

And the Union striker completed his hat-trick by taking advantage of another calamity in the DC rearguard as Rooney’s side were guilty of overcomplicating matters yet again. Burke managed on the scoresheet with just over 10 minutes to go as Philadelphia heaped the misery on.

The win sees Union stay five points clear on top of the Eastern Conference, while DC remain rooted to the bottom.

New York Red Bulls v Cincinnati

Scorers: Klimala 23′ (pen); Miazga 13′

New York Red Bulls and Cincinnati could not be separated in a tight tussle in Harrison.

NYRB dominated the early stages but it was the Orange and Blue who struck first as former Red Bulls defender Matthew Miazga nodded home Álvaro Barreal’s free-kick.

That lead didn’t last long, however, as NYRB striker Patryk Klimala converted from the spot after a clumsy challenge in the area led to a VAR review.

Daniel Edelman had a glorious chance to put New York ahead with 15 minutes remaining but he blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

The point keeps NYRB fourth in the Eastern Conference, and briefly lifted Cincy up to seventh before other results saw them drop to ninth.

Other results

Here’s the rest of Saturday’s schedule: