LOS ANGELES — Call it the Chiellini effect. Or perhaps just another positive night for the best team in Major League Soccer.

Securing a 3-1 victory after a non-stop 90 minutes, the Los Angeles Football Club extended its points lead over the league on Wednesday.

Impressive goals by Danny Musovski, Cristian Arango and Mahala Opoku helped turn away fourth-place FC Dallas during an evening that marked the return of center back Eddie Segura following knee surgery and the massive presence of Giorgio Chiellini, LAFC’s new Italian defender who joined his teammates in celebration while soaking in the sights of sounds of Banc of California Stadium.

Halfway through the 34-match MLS season, LAFC is 11-3-3 and its 36 points are good for a seven-point advantage in the Supporters’ Shield race. They have secured 13 out of a potential 15 points in their last five league matches and are 7-0 this season when scoring first, something they did again in Wednesday’s Western Conference clash.

“From the first minute on the guys really tried to attack and score and play with a high line against a very good team,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “Dallas is one of the better teams in the league who want to play football and score goals and have very good attackers. I think our back line did a very good job of wrapping up their attackers and offensive pieces. Collectively we did a good job of staying compact, which is what our goal was today.”

Maintaining its spot atop the league standings has sometimes required handling business late in matches, but not with Chiellini watching from the stands after his introduction to a city that was clearly fired up for an evening of soccer.

Musovski created his chance in the 23rd minute when he laid off a clearance to Jose Cifuentes and immediately sprinted down the left side of the field. The Ecuadorian midfielder dribbled into the attacking third before his perfectly weighted pass connected with Musovski in full stride deep inside the Dallas box.

Musovski smashed a shot past goalkeeper Maarten Paes inside the near post for his second goal of the season.

Cherundolo’s team ceded several chances in the aftermath of its go-ahead goal. Fifteen minutes later Dallas (7-5-5, 26 points) leveled the score by capitalizing on a free kick 40 yards away from LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.

As former LAFC defender Marco Farfan acted as a decoy, the visitors faked a cross and instead left it to U.S. men’s national team striker Diego Ferreira. Crepeau reacted to a pass that never came and couldn’t get in position to stop Ferreira’s shot, which collided with the underside of the crossbar for his MLS-best 10th goal.

The score remained tied until the 57th minute when Arango netted his 20th goal in 34 appearances with LAFC since joining the club 10 months ago.

A pair of quick passes through the middle by Kellyn Acosta and then Carlos Vela each counted as assists when Arango found space in the Dallas box to cut a low shot across the keeper that banged off the inside of the far post, giving the Colombian goals in four straight league matches and six overall.

“If you watch his performances at the beginning of the season and compare them to now, if you’re a neutral scout you probably think he’s a different player,” Cherundolo said of the 27-year-old forward. “The harder he works the better he gets and he’s in a position now that he understands that and it’s all coming together for him.”

Vela’s second assist of the night, his sixth the year, gave Mahala the space he needed in the 86th minute to hit a shot that screamed past Paes for the Ghanian forward’s fourth goal of the season. He is the 12th player substituted onto the field by Cherundolo in 2022 who scored for LAFC.

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“At any moment of the game I felt we could score a goal,” Cherundolo said. “A controlled and mature and excellent performance tonight.”

Nine of LAFC’s 16 shots against Dallas were on target, and they continue to dominate the second halves of matches, outscoring opponents 24-3.

The back half of the MLS calendar begins Saturday on artificial turf in Vancouver.

When LAFC returns home on July 8 for its third “El Trafico” of 2022 against the Galaxy, Chiellini and Welsh superstar Gareth Bale will be eligible for selection among the constellation of options Cherundolo has employed to great effect so far.

“We’re already feeling good and to add Bale and Chiellini brings a lot of excitement,” said Musovski, who is among the many LAFC players that met the Italian center back for the first time on Wednesday. “I think it’s all going to play out really well and it’s going to be a lot of energy and I think a lot of people around the league will be watching our games. Obviously with that comes a lot of expectations but I think we’re ready for it.”

#LAFCvDAL 2-1 pic.twitter.com/ZByVzVlx7V

— LAFC (@LAFC) June 30, 2022

MAHALA FROM DISTANCE. #LAFCvDAL 3-1 pic.twitter.com/HCSOA1rMdb

— LAFC (@LAFC) June 30, 2022

The pass.
The finish.
Perfection. #LAFCvDAL 1-0 pic.twitter.com/p0ArF3g2aa

— LAFC (@LAFC) June 30, 2022