El Trafico 2025 Round 2; Galaxy rally back to steal points from LAFC

If there are lessons to be learned when it comes to El Trafico, it’s that no lead is safe and standard logic is thrown out the window.

Two rivals currently stood in opposite directions heading into its final meeting of the 2025 season. LAFC is in the midst of a fight for playoff positioning and actually are within striking distance of first place in the Western Conference. The Galaxy meanwhile are currently sitting in last place, and the defending champions are trying to avoid what would statistically be the worst season in franchise history.

However, as we’ve all learned with El Trafico, throw out all the records and stats, especially the current ones. The Galaxy twice rallied from two goal deficits, and Maya Yoshida’s headed at the death of the match enabled the Galaxy to steal a point in a wild 3-3 draw at BMO Stadium.

“Proud of the guys that came on and kept working through it,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “These games are crazy always, so, in a rivalry game or any game you never give up. These games specifically have always had a way to have some crazy in them. Didn’t disappoint there at the end.”

Yoshida’s literal last-minute heroics were made possible by Gabriel Pec, who scored a pair of goals in the match. LAFC was once again carried by Denis Bouanga, who also had a brace and Javairô Dilrosun scored a first half goal. The one saving grace for LAFC is that it ended a busy stretch that saw them play four matches over the last two weeks with an undefeated run.

“Closing out games, we just have to be a little smarter,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “Ways to break up a play earlier, just to kill the clock a little bit, do a better job of killing a game off when we have the ball.

Trailing 3-1 heading into the final stretch, the Galaxy pulled a goal back in the 79th minute, as Joseph Paintsil played Marcos Reus forward on the rights side, Reus played a short cross into the penalty area and Pec one-timed a left-footed shot that beat keeper Hugo Lloris far post to cut the LAFC lead to a goal. Energized by the goal, LAFC went all in looking to salvage a draw, throwing numbers forward, and the gamble nearly paid off in the 88th minute as Reus backheeled a ball to Pec into the penalty area, Pec crossed into the six-yard box and Christian Ramirez one-timed a shot on goal, but Lloris made himself big, first by stepping in front of Ramirez’s shot, then kicking the ball out of the six with his left foot to preserve the LAFC lead.

The Galaxy however caught a break as the match headed into stoppage time. David Martinez was fouled by Mauricio Cuevas, Martinez took exception to the severity of the foul, Cuevas responded by standing over Martinez, LAFC’s Igor Jesus pushed Cuevas, and a scuffle ensued. During the scrum, Eddie Segura grabbed Diego Fagundez around the neck area and held him for a few seconds, and when all was sorted out, Cuevas and Fagundez were issued yellow cards, but LAFC took the bigger blow, as Segura was handed a straight red card, meaning LAFC had to finish the match a man down.

Photo courtesy of LAFC

Even more fortunate for the Galaxy, the scrum added more time to was supposed to be five minutes of stoppage time, meaning the match was sure to go beyond the 95th minute. Still, LAFC was in position to close out the match, but the Galaxy made the most of one last chance, as Cuevas crossed into the penalty area and Yoshida headed a ball past Lloris far post for one last equalizer.

“We show great spirit and the goal I score was great comeback, a good score. But at the same time Mauricio has delivering long time a lot great balls through the season and during the training as well, so I trust him and I believe him where he put the ball,” Yoshida said of the final play.

LAFC asserted themselves in the first half. Bouanga for the home side going in the 26th minute, as Ryan Hollingshead played Bouanga into the penalty area, Bouanga squared up and fired a right-footed shot that beat keeper Novak Micovic far post to open the scoring. LAFC doubled the lead in the 30th minute, as Marky Delgado sprung Nathan Ordaz forward, Ordaz took the ball into the penalty area, sent a cross that hovered around the six, Dilrosun collected the ball, switched into his left foot, and fired a shot that beat Micovic to double the lead.

However, just like the end of the match, a break allowed the Galaxy to get back into the match. It started in the 33rd minute, as Edwin Cerillo sent a ball into the penalty area, Pec headed a ball that deflected off the hand of Ryan Hollingshead, making it an easy decision for referee Guido Gonzales to award the Galaxy a penalty, which Pec converted three minutes later. LAFC restored that two goal lead in the 67th minute, as Bouanga chased down a loose ball at the halfway line, Bouanga dribbled past the Galaxy defense all the way into the penalty area, Micovic came off his line and Bouanga slotted a shot past him into the back net.