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On the Mount Rushmore of LA derbies, LA Galaxy's 4-2 victory against LAFC on Saturday, Sept. 15, may have just etched itself onto the face of grudge match history.
Galaxy hosted their crosstown rivals at Dignity Health Sports Park and seemed to be heading toward their fourth consecutive loss to the Black & Gold after conceding two goals in the first 15 minutes, the first off a header from Polish winger Mateusz Bogusz and minutes later from Golden Boot contender Denis Bouanga.
Despite an optimistically offensive first half, Galaxy struggled to create any real threats, stifled by LAFC's backline and subdued multiple times by the experience of Hugo Lloris. Meanwhile, LAFC looked all too satisfied playing off the counterattack and making the most of Bouanga's remarkable 1v1 abilities. In the post-match press conference, Galaxy captain and centerback Maya Yoshida admitted they had given the Gabonese international too much space, but came out in the second half with crucial adjustments.
Facing a two-goal deficit in the second half, Galaxy finally had its breakthrough in the 53rd minute when Gabriel Pec slipped a ball through for Dejan Joveljic, who made deli meat of LAFC's Eddie Segura and rocketed a top bins shot past Lloris.
From that moment on, Galaxy's attacking line seemed to enter a kind of transcendent flow state, seamlessly floating the ball between Reus, Riqui Puig, Pec, Joveljic, and Edwin Cerrillo. The next two goals came in rapid succession with Cerrillo notching his first MLS goal at 55', followed by a dazzling Pec-Reus-Puig-Joveljic combination in the 67'.
The momentum fully on the home side, LAFC struggled to regain its shape, with midfielder Lewis O'Brien getting a red card for dangerous play in the 79', making a comeback to the comeback even less likely. Puig, the former Barca man and Galaxy's marquee player, all but shut the door closed with an 86-minute missile, making it 4-2 in this 24th installment of El Trafico.
Importantly, Galaxy's win Saturday night has secured them a home field playoff berth and denied LAFC that luxury. But perhaps more significant, Galaxy seems to be ushering in a new era with this roster. No longer dependent on a solo star, the five-time MLS Cup winners delivered a top-tier team performance, showcasing a dangerously effective chemistry amongst its new crop of world-class talent.