LAFC beats Seattle Sounders for first win in expansion club's history

LAFC rode an early goal to a 1-0 win against the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on Sunday afternoon, the first victory in the expansion club's history.

And the visitors got off to a dream start in its first match, when Diego Rossi curled home a first-time shot from a Carlos Vela assist to put LAFC ahead just past the 10-minute mark. It was the fastest first goal scored by an expansion team in league history.

Nicola Lodeiro spurned a golden chance to draw Seattle level, but sliced his shot wide of the goal after being left all alone in the LAFC penalty area.

Laurent Ciman then kept LAFC in front with a sliding block of a Harry Shipp volley that was headed for the back of the net as Bob Bradley's team took a 1-0 lead to the dressing room.

Brian Schmetzer brought on Magnus Wolff Eikrem for the second half and the new arrival brought life to the Seattle attack. The Norwegian kicked off a nice team move that ended in a Will Bruin miss before rippling the side netting with a free kick that was just wide of the post.

The Sounders thought they had an equalizer when Bruin headed a deflected pass into the net, but the linesman rightly raised his flag for offside and the goal was ruled out.

The hosts remained on the front foot throughout the second half, but were left to play the closing minutes with just 10 men after Tony Alfaro was handed his second yellow card.

A goal never came for Seattle, who saw its home unbeaten run end at 15 games, while LAFC became just the second expansion team to win a road opener in league history, with Bradley's Chicago Fire doing it in 1998.