Los Angeles FC forward Gareth Bale, left, defends against Houston Dynamo defender Teenage Hadebe, right, during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC forward Gareth Bale heads the ball against the Houston Dynamo during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC forward Cristian Arango looks to pass against the Houston Dynamo during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC midfielder Ryan Hollingshead brings the ball down the pitch against the Houston Dynamo during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC midfielder Ryan Hollingshead, center, reacts after scoring a goal past Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark, bottom left, during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC forward Kwadwo Opoku, front center, chases the ball again Houston Dynamo defender Teenage Hadebe, back right, during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC forward Kwadwo Opoku dribbles against Houston Dynamo defender Adam Lundqvist during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC midfielder Ryan Hollingshead scores a goal against the Houston Dynamo during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC head coach Steve Cherundolo, center, looks on during the second half of an MLS soccer match against the Houston Dynamo Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC midfielder Kellyn Acosta, right, moves the ball past Houston Dynamo forward Carlos Darwin Quintero during the first half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Houston Dynamo celebrate after Houston Dynamo forward Corey Baird scores a goal against the Los Angeles FC during the first half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela, center, celebrates with teammates Ryan Hollingshead, left, and Dénis Bouanga, right, after Vela scores a goal during the first half of an MLS soccer match against the Houston Dynamo Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC defender Giorgio Chiellini, right, dribbles defended by Houston Dynamo forward Sebastián Ferreira during the first half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC forward Dénis Bouanga brings the ball down the pitch against the Houston Dynamo during the first half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC midfielder Ryan Hollingshead tries to recover the ball against the Houston Dynamo during the first half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela scores on a penalty kick against the Houston Dynamo during the first half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC defender Eddie Segura, left, dribbles against Houston Dynamo forward Nelson Quiñónes, right, during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC midfielder Ryan Hollingshead, left, points to the crowd while Houston Dynamo midfielder Matías Vera, right, looks on after Hollingshead scores a goal during the second half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles FC forward Dénis Bouanga, right front, moves the ball past Houston Dynamo midfielder Matías Vera, right back, during the first half of an MLS soccer match Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Football Club struggled for a month to lock down the Western Conference title and assume control over the Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield.
But that wasn’t anything a good weekend couldn’t cure.
A day after clinching the top seed in their conference when second-place Austin failed to win, LAFC reasserted its liberty in the season-long points battle by defeating Houston 3-1 Sunday evening at Banc of California Stadium.
Two first-half goals on penalty kicks by LAFC captain Carlos Vela held up as the Black & Gold went level with the Philadelphia Union and secured the first tiebreaker thanks to its 20th win.
Bucking a trend of slow starts, LAFC wasted no time taking the lead. Vela slotted his first penalty past Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark in the seventh minute after Denis Bouanga was fouled in the box.
Vela also showed up defensively in the 19th minute when he headed away a sure Houston equalizer off a corner kick.
The visitors momentarily found their way back into the match when midfielder Adalberto Carraquilla picked out former LAFC attacker Corey Baird with a beautiful long pass into the box before the half hour mark.
Traded to Houston (9-17-6, 33 points) in the 2021 summer transfer window for $750,000 in general allocation money and an international roster spot, Baird was subdued in celebration following a deft chip over Maxime Crepeau.
For LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead, superstition might be the way
Prior to halftime, a video review confirmed a handball on Houston forward Fafa Picault, offering Vela a chance at his first multi-goal performance since an opening day hat trick.
The brace gave Vela 11 goals to go with 10 assists in 30 appearances, and improved LAFC’s record to 13-1-2 when the Mexican contributed to the scoresheet.
Defender Ryan Hollingshead also continued his impactful play when he blasted a shot inside the box early in the second half. Hollingshead’s sixth goal of the year increased his league-leading tally for defenders, and, in 1,200 fewer minutes, tied a career high from 2019.
The result marked LAFC’s ninth consecutive win at the Banc, where they have scored in 41 consecutive matches and are assured of hosting throughout the conference playoffs.
With two contests remaining in the regular season, LAFC (20-8-4, 64 points) has grabbed hold of its Supporter Shields’ destiny and can earn a potential home MLS Cup final if they remain at least tied with Philadelphia when action resumes following the upcoming FIFA window.
