El Trafico 2026, round 2; LAFC battles back to salvage draw against Galaxy

One thing you can hope for in a derby is to be entertained.

Over the years, LAFC and the LA Galaxy have done just that, as they have treated the MLS community to a series of entertaining matches filled with goals and plenty of drama. In the latest edition of El Trafico on Sunday evening, we not only got the goals and comebacks, but also some controversy, and it all added up to a 2-2 draw at BMO Stadium.

“We’re a team that is showing that we’re willing to fight, even in tough moments,” LAFC center back Aaron Long said. “I think tonight was not the result wen wanted in terms of a tie, but some ties feel better than others.”

Goals from Denis Bouanga and Leo Walta enabled LAFC to overcome a superb night from Galaxy forward Joseph Painstil, who had a brace in the match. LAFC however was forced to rue two dubious VAR offsides calls that wiped away two goals, particularly one in the final minute that prevented them from winning the match.

“The club, the players, all of us, we fight, and I think we have to be happy because it’s not easy for anyone,” LAFC interim head coach Xavier Tamarit said. “I am very proud of the team how we overcame a really difficult situation that we didn’t deserve. In my opinion, we were much better from the start until the end of the game.”

LAFC thought they had an opening goal in the 28th minute, but VAR intervened. Sergi Palencia played a ball into the penalty area, the ball deflected of Galaxy defender Emil Garces and it went to Bouanga, who took the shot, Marcinkowski made himself big enough to deflect the ball, but Son Heung-min  came in and slotted the rebound chance into the back net. However, referee Armando Villarreal called the goal back, as they ruled Bouanga offside, VAR was summoned, and it showed that Bouanga was in an offside position, and while it also showed that Garces played the ball, which would have nullified Bouanga’s offside position, VAR determined that the presence of Armando Sieb near Garces was enough to make Bouanga ineligible to receive Palencia’s pass, and thus the offiside call stood.

The Galaxy then got going in the 33rd minute. Robert Talyor intercepted a pass from Mark Delgado and following a hesitation move to evade Delgado dribbled down the right side into the penalty area, Taylor then played a ball forward towards the six-yard box and Paintsil slotted a right-footed shot past keeper Hugo Lloris near post to stake the Galaxy to the lead.

Paintsil got his brace in the 51st minute. Paintsil headed a ball forward to Erik Thommy, and he headed a ball down and dribbled down the left side all the way into the penalty area, Thommy took the shot, Lloris made the save, but left a rebound inside the six, and Paintsil swooped in and buried the rebound chance into the back net that gave the Galaxy a two-goal lead.

However, as has been witnessed over the last nine seasons of this rivalry, no lead is ever save. LAFC didn’t even wait two minutes before they mounted its comeback, and it started when Mathieu Choiniere forced Pablo Ruiz into a turnover, Son played a ball to Sieb, who fired a right-footed volley from about 25 yards out, keeper JT Marcinkowski made the save, but made the same mistakeLloris made on Paintsil’s second goal by leaving a rebound chance inside the six, and it was Bouanga that capitalized, as he swooped in and buried the rebound into the back net to pull a goal back for LAFC.

LAFC then caught the Galaxy in the 63rd minute. Son played a ball that took a deflection, but still went into the penalty area, Garces looked to make a play on the ball, but whiffed on his clearance attempt. Two LAFC players looked to take advantage, Sieb missed on his chance, but Walta did not, as he got his right foot on the ball, and his chance went between Marcinkowsiki’s legs into the back net for the equalizer.

Then came some more controversy, and it came right at the end of the match. LAFC had one last chance to steal all three points, Son sent a ball into the penalty area, the ball was brought down, Tyler Boyd came in for the game winner, Marcinkowski stopped Boyd’s chance, but the ball went up in the air, Sieb tried the header on the rebound, Galaxy center back Justin Haak stopped the ball at the end line, Marcinkowski punched the ball away though the ball remained inside the 18, Boyd brought the ball down, then attempted a bicycle kick, the ball went to Bouanga, who slotted the shot into the back net for supposedly a last-minute game winner,

However, as soon as the ball went into the back net, the linesman raised his flag and referee Villarreal also signaled no goal. VAR was used, and it was determined that on Son’s cross, Long was in an offside position, albeit by a mere inches.

They told me after the game that it was me that was offside, but yeah, I had no idea,” Long said of the final play. “I thought I was on, I thought I held the line there and tried to make that move at the last second to put the ball back in.”

In the end, the result did not change much for either side. LAFC 12-9-11, 47 points) remained in sixth place in the Western Conference, though they are a point back of both the San Jose Earthquakes and the Houston Dynamo for fourth place in the West, and four points back of FC Dallas for the third spot with two matches left to play in the regular season. The Galaxy (10-11-11, 41 points) remained in ninth place, though they will certainly regret dropping two points in this match, which would’ve sent them into a tie with Seattle for seventh, and thus avoiding the 8th-9th playoff match. LAFC also got something else out of the result, as it clinched them a playoff spot.

The Galaxy wrap up its home schedule next Sunday, as they host Minnesota United, while the Galaxy host Austin FC on Halloween evening.