With an MLS-record crowd watching on at the Rose Bow, Riqui Puig’s second-half winner gave the Galaxy victory over LAFC in Tuesday’s Los Angeles derby.
Riqui Puig scored the winner in front of an MLS-record crowd as the Los Angeles Galaxy beat city rivals Los Angeles FC 2-1 in ‘El Tráfico’ on Tuesday.
Puig wins it for LAFC after Ilie cancels out Boyd beauty
Puig turned home Tyler Boyd’s 73rd-minute cross to give the Galaxy a much-needed victory - the side’s first in five MLS games.
Earlier, Boyd had given the Galaxy a first-half lead with a stunning strike from the edge of the LAFC box. Receiving the ball on the left wing, Boyd shook off defender Erik Dueñas before cutting inside and curling a pinpoint past goalkeeper John McCarthy and into the top corner.
Ilie Sánchez then levelled on the hour mark for LAFC, the defending MLS champions, when he headed home Timothy Tillman’s corner-kick delivery at the near post.
Just under a quarter of an hour later, however, Boyd led a Galaxy breakaway before squaring low into the LAFC area, where a stretching Puig beat Dueñas to the ball to poke it into the corner.
With eight minutes to go, LAFC skipper Carlos Vela rounded Galaxy keeper Jonathan Klinsmann to slot home what the Black and Gold briefly thought was the equaliser. However, the Mexican was rightly flagged offside.
And in the 90th minute, Dénis Bouanga spurned a golden opportunity to level for LAFC, the unmarked Gabon international heading over from six yards out.
‘El Tráfico’ breaks MLS attendance record
82,110 spectators were inside Pasadena’s Rose Bowl to see the Galaxy get back to winning ways - a crowd that outstrips the previous MLS record.
Previously, the largest attendance in the North American league had come in March 2022, when 74,479 watched Charlotte FC host the Galaxy at Bank of America Stadium.
Moved to the Rose Bowl from the Galaxy’s regular home stadium, Dignity Health Sports Park, the clash in Pasadena had been due to take place on MLS’ opening weekend in February, only to be postponed due to extreme weather.
Where to Galaxy and LAFC sit in West?
Having earned their second win in a row in meetings with LAFC, the Galaxy remain second bottom of the Western Conference standings, but have boosted their hopes of
Meanwhile, LAFC slip to third in the West, but have a game in hand on the second-placed Seattle Sounders and remain well on course to make the playoffs for the fifth time in their six-season MLS history.