Diomande’s late goal lifts LAFC to 2-1 win over Sporting KC

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adama Diomande scored in stoppage time to help LAFC beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 on Sunday night in the MLS opener for both teams.

Diomande, who came on in the 59th minute, cut back to evade a defender at the top-left corner of the box and blasted a rising shot into the net in the fourth minute of injury time.

Krisztian Nemeth gave Sporting KC a 1-0 lead in the 16th. He tapped it to Johnny Russell who passed it back to Nemeth for the one-touch finish from near the spot.

Eduard Atuesta, from near midfield, perfectly placed a long, arcing pass to Diego Rossi on the left side. He cut to the middle, past defender Graham Zusi, before bending a low shot past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Tim Melia, just inside the far post, to make it 1-1 in the 47th minute.

Sporting’s Roger Espinosa, who received a yellow card 31st, was shown a red in the 84th minute.