Vela brace gives LAFC bragging rights in El Trafico thriller

Carlos Vela’s brace gave LAFC a thrilling 3-2 win over LA Galaxy in the Western Conference of MLS on Sunday afternoon. The result means that LAFC climb into second spot with 17 points from 7 games in the Western Conference standings.

El Trafico, as it’s called, didn’t disappoint as both sides played free-flowing football. Galaxy started the better of the two sides with former Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig pulling the strings in midfield and taking the game to the visitors. However, it was Vela who gave LAFC the lead when he curled a wonderful effort into the far corner from the right side of the penalty box.

This was Vela’s ninth goal in El Trafico, overtaking Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s eight goals in the fixture between the two sides.

Tyler Boyd then restored parity for the hosts with an astonishing long-range effort from over 35 yards past John McCarthy in the LAFC goal.

Both sides went into halftime tied at one apiece, but it was LAFC who showed their class after the break and seized the initiative by scoring two quick-fire goals in two minutes.

First, Vela stepped up to make it 2-1 from the spot in the 68th minute after Jose Cifuentes was brought down in the box. Two minutes later, Ryan Hollingshead headed home from Vela’s corner to double the advantage for the visitors.

Galaxy are yet to win a game this campaign, and LAFC’s passage of play midway in the second half showed why the hosts have been struggling. LAFC should have been 4-1 ahead in the 75th minute but Kwadwo Opoku somehow missed the target after being played through by Denis Bouanga.

The hosts did manage to get a goal back six minutes from time when Marco Delgado tapped home into an empty net following a cross into the box.

Galaxy did test McCarthy in the closing stages of the encounter too but LAFC held firm to grab their fifth win of the season.

Photo credit: Zuma Wire