Amidst LA Galaxy fan protests - LAFC write history at El Trafico

El Trafico, LA Galaxy against LAFC, old money against new money, suburbia vs downtown LA, the record champions against the current champions. El Trafico might be the biggest game on the Major League Soccer calendar, and it is also a game that highlights the contrasts of LA. And yet, the game at Dignity Health Sports Park was overshadowed by outside events that provided an additional storyline to what is one of the most storied rivalries in MLS. We will get to all that in a moment. 

On the pitch, LAFC provided more pain for Galaxy supporters as they walked away with their first-ever victory at the Galaxy, winning the game 3-2 thanks to goals by Carlos Vela (22’ and 68’) and Ryan Hollingshead (70’). Tyler Boyd (41’) and Mark Delgado (84’) scored the Galaxy goals at what was an announced sellout crowd of 25,174 at Dignity Health Sports Park. Off the pitch, the ongoing saga with Galaxy President Chris Klein has dominated the headlines. Overtaken by their local rivals, Galaxy fans have had enough after years without winning a title, they want Klein to step down and the club restructured. Currently suspended for salary cap violations that will hamstring the club on the transfer market this upcoming summer, Klein has vowed that he will step down should the Galaxy fail to make the playoffs this year. 

El Trafico was the big test of whether that was enough for Galaxy supporters. And a glance around the stadium showed that it was mostly LAFC fans in the stands at the Dignity Health Sports Park. Those LAFC fans also made themselves vocal before the game kicked off, chanting Chris Klein’s name and that of USL Championship side Orange County SC, the club the Galaxy tried to get evicted from Championship Stadium in Irvine. Then just after kick-off, a plane with a banner that read #KleinOut and #KirovskiOut (technical director Jovan Kirovski) circled over Dignity Health Sports Park. 

LA Galaxy – Chris Klein protests off the pitch, demolished by LAFC on the pitch

All of these headlines would be enough to upset Galaxy supporters. But on the pitch, the Galaxy have also started slowly this season and have collected just three points from the first six games. Even with the playoffs expanded to nine teams per Conference, the Galaxy could be in trouble this season. 

Despite going into the game as underdogs, the Galaxy dominated possession and created some good opportunities to break into John McCarthy’s box. But at the same time, the Galaxy lacked efficiency in the final third, and mistakes in their own half would ultimately cost them as midfielder Gaston Brugman gave the ball away twice to gift Vela the opportunity to score spectacularly. Perhaps with all this in mind, it was somewhat consequential too that the Galaxy would score from distance thanks to a great Boyd effort that slipped through McCarthy’s hands. 

In the second half, it was more of the same; the Galaxy maintained control and played the ball around the box while struggling to penetrate to create Grade A chances. In fact, it was almost like LAFC handed the ball over to the Galaxy for them to make mistakes that would lead to more opportunities. Both those opportunities came within two minutes as the Galaxy first gave away a needless penalty in the 68th minute that Vela converted and then an unforced throw-in that Hollingshead headed home. “It is important to capitalize; when we score, the momentum shifts our way, and then they were a little bit down,” Hollingshead said after the game. “You could make the argument that they were really on the front foot for a lot of this game, and then it all goes down in just two minutes.” 

LAFC dominate El Trafico – What is next for LA Galaxy 

Undone within two minutes, the Galaxy kept trying and had chances. Riqui Puig (80’) hit the post, and Chicharito missed the wide-open goal just two minutes later. Then finally, in the 84th minute, Delgado scored from close distance. For the first time that afternoon, the Galaxy supporters got loud, drowning out the LAFC fans that had set the scene throughout El Trafico. 

That noise, however, was only brief, the anguish palpable as Galaxy fans watched on, seeing their rivals not change tactics at all. The MLS champions continued to hand over the ball, staying patient, allowing the Galaxy to chase the game. And with eight minutes added, there was certainly a sense that a miracle was possible. But in the end, it was LAFC that would walk away with all three points and the club's fans were waving goodbye to LA Galaxy supporters as they were walking out of the stadium. The gap between the two teams is now 14 points in the standings—a fact that will provide more ammunition for Galaxy fans that want immediate change at their club.

“It feels great,” Vela said when asked about finally winning a game at the Galaxy’s home ground. “I feel like we have shown many times that we are better than them, but for some odd reason, every time we went here, something crazy happened.” Vela did admit that LAFC were a bit lucky. But at the same time, the result does show the current balance of power in Los Angeles. LAFC are still unbeaten and in second place in the Western Conference behind expansion team St. Louis CITY SC with one game in hand. The Galaxy, in the meantime, are second from bottom in the West, providing further ammunition to fans who want immediate change.