WASHINGTON, United States, Apr 7 – Wayne Rooney was sent off as D.C. United’s unbeaten start to the season came to an emphatic end with a 4-0 home defeat to Los Angeles FC on Saturday.

Former England and Manchester United star Rooney was shown a red card on 52 minutes after a dangerous, studs-up tackle on LAFC’s Uruguayan striker Diego Rossi, who would go on to complete a clinical hat-trick.

Referee Robert Sibiga initially looked to have given Rooney a reprieve, brandishing only a yellow card for the tackle.

But after consulting the Video Assistant Referee, Sibiga changed the yellow to red, leaving United skipper Rooney to trudge off the field without protest.

Rooney’s red completed a miserable afternoon for D.C. United, who by that stage were trailing 3-0 against a vastly superior LAFC side.

The eagerly anticipated battle between the leading teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference turned into a one-sided affair at Washington’s Audi Field, with Los Angeles ruthlessly exploiting some sloppy play from the home side.

The game was effectively over in little more than half an hour, with Los Angeles surging into a 3-0 lead thanks to two goals from Rossi and a curling effort from Mexico international Carlos Vela.

United had been under pressure from the outset, and were fortunate not to have gone a goal down after only nine minutes when Leonardo Jara was adjudged to have handled in the area to concede a penalty.

Vela stepped up for the spot-kick but was thwarted by a fine block from United goalkeeper Bill Hamid. Vela’s attempted follow-up from the rebound hit a post.

Los Angeles did not have long to wait for the opener however, and in the 16th minute Vela made amends with the game’s opening goal.

A mix-up in midfield saw D.C. United cough up possession cheaply, allowing Adama Diomande to thread a pass through to Vela, who coolly took his time before placing a curling shot beyond Hamid.

Vela turned creator for Los Angeles’s second, picking out Rossi with a delightful low cross with the outside of his left foot allowing the Uruguayan to jab home the finish for 2-0.

Rossi added his second in the 32nd minute, capitalising on good work from Mark Anthony Kaye to curl in a superb right-foot finish to all but seal the win.

Rooney’s dismissal early in the second half snuffed out any faint hope of a comeback, and Rossi duly added insult to injury by completing his hat-trick to make it 4-0 on 76 minutes.

LAFC moved four points clear of Los Angeles Galaxy at the top of the Western Conference, with 16 points from six games.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Chipu upsets Namibia to lift Barthes Cup

rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Lille draw leaves path clear for PSG to clinch French titlern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Arsenal still control top-four race, says Emeryrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn City’s Mendy vows to stay out of troublern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 6 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn ‘Not a done deal’ – Qatar wary over 48-team World Cuprn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 6 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Rooney sees red as Rossi runs riotrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 6 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Barca edge closer to La Liga title after beating Atleticorn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 day ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kenya Sevens land Sh14mn shirt sponsorshiprn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Oktay Set to rotate with RS Berkane in mindrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn rn Shujaa come short against Fiji in Hong Kongrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kenya down two places in latest FIFA rankingrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Weakened Gor baying for RS Berkane bloodrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn rn Brazil cut down Lionesses core status dreamrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Superb Lionesses storm Hong Kong semisrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn rn Meals and boots: Zim get helping hand at Hong Kong 7srn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Gor hit with hefty fine for Machakos chaosrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Deulofeu double fires Watford into FA Cup final

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Lille draw leaves path clear for PSG to clinch French title

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Arsenal still control top-four race, says Emery

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

City’s Mendy vows to stay out of trouble

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

‘Not a done deal’ – Qatar wary over 48-team World Cup

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL GOR MAHIA ADVANCE TO CAF CONFEDERATION CUP QUARTERS?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Rooney sees red as Rossi runs riot

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Barca edge closer to La Liga title after beating Atletico

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

‘Catastrophic’: Dortmund inquest after Bayern 5-0 humiliation

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Sundowns stun mighty Ahly with five-goal triumph

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 6th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Guardiola claims quadruple ‘almost impossible’ as City reach FA Cup final

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 6th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Deulofeu double fires Watford into FA Cup finalrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Lille draw leaves path clear for PSG to clinch French titlern rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Arsenal still control top-four race, says Emeryrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn ALEX ISABOKErn Chipu upsets Namibia to lift Barthes Cuprn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Berkane slow Goru2019s Confed Cup fairy-tale runrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tKenya Sevens land Sh14mn shirt sponsorshiprn

rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tOktay Set to rotate with RS Berkane in mindrn

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 3rd Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tShujaa come short against Fiji in Hong Kongrn

rn Rugbyrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKenya down two places in latest FIFA rankingrn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tWeakened Gor baying for RS Berkane bloodrn

rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 6th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tBrazil cut down Lionesses core status dreamrn

rn Rugbyrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tSuperb Lionesses storm Hong Kong semisrn

rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tMeals and boots: Zim get helping hand at Hong Kong 7srn

rn Rugbyrn rn Thursday, 4th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tGor hit with hefty fine for Machakos chaosrn

rn Footballrn rn Tuesday, 2nd Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Deulofeu double fires Watford into FA Cup finalrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Lille draw leaves path clear for PSG to clinch French titlern rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Arsenal still control top-four race, says Emeryrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn ALEX ISABOKErn Chipu upsets Namibia to lift Barthes Cuprn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Berkane slow Goru2019s Confed Cup fairy-tale runrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */