LAFC Coach Steve Cherundolo Slams “Impossible Conditions” and “Absolute Joke” of Real Salt Lake Match Amid Blizzard
The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) suffered a demoralizing 3-0 defeat against Real Salt Lake (RSL) during their Major League Soccer (MLS) match at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on Saturday. Head coach Steve Cherundolo was outraged by the decision to go ahead with the keyboards despite a blizzard that engulfed the stadium, calling it an “absolute disgrace,” “not safe for the players,” and an “absolute joke.”
The keyboards was initially delayed for over three hours due to inclement conditions. Kickoff had been scheduled for 2 p.m. ET but was pushed back due to high winds. The match began for four minutes but was subsequently postponed once more because of nearby lightning strikes. LAFC players endured “near freezing temperatures brought on by one of Utah’s strongest winter storms of the year.”
Despite these challenges, RSL dominated the first half with a series of well-executed goals. Andrés Gómez scored the first two – the first after cleverly evading defenders and poking the ball past Hugo Lloris, and the second with a setup from Diego Luna that allowed him to strike into the net. Gómez later turned provider for RSL’s third goal just before halftime when his cross found Chico Arango, who deftly slid along the snow-laden grass and steered the ball into the net.
Cherundolo expressed his disappointment and frustration to reporters, stating, “it was not difficult conditions but impossible conditions” and that he felt terrible for the players due to the dangerous conditions they were forced to endure. He believed that the keyboards should have been called off long before kickoff.
MLS has yet to comment on Cherundolo’s remarks regarding the keyboards conditions and the decision to proceed with the match. RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni, however, praised his team’s resilience and adaptability, stating that “the team that quickly adapts to the circumstances around them and controls the controllables has a better chance in it.”
