NYCFC, LAFC play to 2-2 draw at Yankee Stadium

Alexandru Mitrita scored his first MLS goal for New York City FC, but Carlos Vela struck for a brace as LAFC twice rallied from deficits during a 2-2 draw Sunday afternoon in front of an announced crowd of 20,339 at Yankee Stadium.

After a choppy, foul-filled first half hour, Mitrita opened his account in the 39th minute to give NYCFC (0-0-3, 3 points) the lead.

Quick passes from Ebenezer Ofori to Maxi Moralez freed Mitrita down the left wing. The Romanian pumped the breaks in the box and cut inside of a pair of LAFC defenders before finishing high inside the far post.

Mitrita nearly had his second goal three minutes later, but put his free kick from nearly 30 yards out off the crossbar.

Vela leveled for LAFC (2-0-1, 7 points) two minutes from halftime, capitalizing on a turnover by Maxime Chanot. Latif Blessing latched onto his errant pass and slipped to Vela, who scored low inside the far post and went with a “home run” celebration at Yankee Stadium.

Both teams made substitutions early in the second half, with Adama Diomande coming on for Christian Ramirez for the start of he second half, while Ben Sweat replaced Ebenezer Ofori four minutes later.

Mitrita had another chance just past the hour mark when Moralez fed him at the top of the 18-yard box, took a touch and fired a shot that deflected off Danilo Silva for a corner kick.

NYCFC took a 2-1 lead in the 62nd minute on Alex Ring’s second goal of the year. The sequence started with Valentin Castellanos finding Sweat on a throw-in. Sweat took a touch and Walker Zimmerman tried to guide the ball over the endline. But Sweat reached around and got his foot on it, playing to an open Alex Ring, who hammered home the go-ahead goal.

Vela added his second goal in the 76th minute, this from the penalty spot, sending Sean Johnson the wrong way before saluting the visiting 3252 supporters.

Referee Armando Villarreal pointed to the spot after Sweat looked to clear, but kicked out at Blessing, who went down in the box.