Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores late winner as LA Galaxy top Real Salt Lake

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:23 am

Zlatan Ibrahimovic showed his scoring prowess yet again, delivering in the 78th minute as the LA Galaxy remained undefeated at home with a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake.

Uriel Antuna also scored a first-half goal for the Galaxy, his first in nine MLS games, as Los Angeles improved to a perfect 6-0-0 at home this season.

Real Salt Lake (3-5-1, 10 points) got a second-half goal from Donny Toia off a rebound from a David Bingham save, but their two-game winning streak came to an end.

The Galaxy (7-1-1, 22 points) remained unbeaten over their past seven games (6-0-1) while rebounding from a scoreless tie at Minnesota United on Wednesday.

The teams were meeting for the first time since RSL earned a 6-2 victory over the visiting Galaxy on Sept. 1 of last season. Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid resigned 10 days later, before the Galaxy's next MLS game. Schmid passed away from heart issues in December.

Ibrahimovic's eighth goal of the season came after midfielder Sebastian Lletget worked his way around RSL defender Aaron Herrera near the left side of the penalty area. Lletget fed Ibrahimovic and the game-winner came off a sweeping left foot.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have two chances to put up points in this week's MLS action.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have two chances to put up points in this week's MLS action.
Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire

Although he was unable to deliver on Wednesday at Minnesota United, Ibrahimovic still has seven goals in his past six games since returning from an Achilles injury.

Ibrahimovic also played a role in the Galaxy's first goal, letting a pass from Diego Polenta go through past the RSL defense. Chris Pontius picked up the ball to the right side of goal, drawing RSL goalkeeper Andrew Putna off his line.

Pontius then slipped a centering pass to Antuna, on loan from Manchester City in the English Premier League, and he scored into a wide-open goal.

Bingham made six saves in the victory. He made one of those in the 64th minute, but the ball rebounded to Toia, who scored his first of the season into a wide-open goal.

The Galaxy has now conceded eight goals, matching LAFC, Houston and Atlanta United for the lowest total in MLS. The Galaxy have shown a much-improved defense over the one that was fourth-worst in the 12-team Western Conference last season with 64 goals allowed.