LAFC Get First El Trafico Win of the Season
Carson, California on a gorgeous 66 degree day the LA Galaxy played host to LAFC. The Galaxy has been struggling at the outset of this 2023 season. They are winless with a 0-3-3 mark putting them with a total of 3 points and 13th out of 14th place in the western conference. This comes in the midst of LA Galaxy Team President Chris Klein addressing fans, and season ticket holders stating that he would resign if his team does not make a deep playoff run. On the contrary for the MLS defending champions, LAFC have yet to lose a game this 2023 season with 5-2-0 totaling 17 points and in 2nd place in the Western conference standings.
In a rivalry match however, sometimes records do not matter. In the outset of this game the 5 time defending champions were dominating possession and time and when LAFC had any type of possession the Galaxy would counter with superb play. LAFC had few clear opportunities though. In the 22nd minute we had a classic Carlos Vela situation. Standing from the right side top of the goalie box, he shot a left footer that curved into the left side of the goalie putting his team up 1-0. Soon after, the game balanced itself out with both teams retaining possession and trading off shots on goal. Then in the 41st minute, Galaxy midfielder Tyler Boyd took a shot on goal from about 35-40 yards away from the goalie. That shot was blasted out of a cannon as LAFC goalie John McCarthy was barely able to put this fingertips on it, but to no avail as the ball ended up in the back of the net and just like that the game was tied 1-1. That’s how the teams went into the locker at the half.
As the second half was underway both teams could not get much going. After a costly turnover, the game suddenly turned into LAFC’s favor. A turnover by the home team in the penalty box turned into a penalty kick for the Black and Gold. In the 68th minute, Carlos Vela capitalized and scored the penalty kick, putting up his team 2-1. Then just 2 minutes later, in the 70th minute, LAFC earned a corner kick. A header from Ryan Hollingshead put the defending champions up by a score of 3-1. Those goals appeared to have woken up the Galaxy’s team as they had a shot that went off the left pole from Riquí Puig and in the 84th minute Mark Delgado scored for his team, making the score 3-2 and setting up an exciting finish for the rivalry game. Eight minutes of compensation time were added to the game, the LA Galaxy had the full throttle on the offense as they had the Black and Gold on its heels. The last 20 minutes of this game were very fast paced. The energy with the crowd and the players was palpable. The game ended in a 3-2 LAFC victory, marking the first time LAFC triumphs on the road versus the LA Galaxy and this victory keeps LAFC’s unbeaten streak alive.
