It was your typical summer’s night in Los Angeles. The air was warm, the breeze barely noticeable, the setting sun turned the skies a deep pink. A clear night aside from the occasional flashes from the fireworks being let off from the surrounding neighborhoods. The grass at Rose Bowl Stadium looked as pristine as ever. The stadium nestled in quiet Pasadena, once again serving as a battlefield for two teams looking to crown themselves as kings of Los Angeles. For LAFC, it was another chance to once again cement their place in the LA sports landscape.
└A 🌹 pic.twitter.com/K2uVN1HTge
— LAFC (@LAFC) July 5, 2024
The Match
Despite taking a while for the first goal of the match to come, the start was about how you would expect when these two sides meet. It was fast, physical, and the chances were flying early, especially from LAFC. The black & gold were the effective visitors in the Galaxy’s original home stadium, but opened the match up with 10 solid minutes of keeping possession. It would be the most they kept all night. Clearly unable to really get something going from, they decided to play to their counter-attacking strengths and let the Galaxy keep the ball for most of the match. The G’s ended the first half with 62% of the possession but only had four shots with just five touches in the LAFC box.
Despite not keeping the ball, LAFC finished the half with 13 shots, five finding their target, as well as 17 touches inside the Galaxy box. After spending most of the first half knocking, it was a corner in the 40th minute that saw LAFC breakthrough with the lead via a flying Kei Kamara who got his head on it with velocity to send it past a stuck-in-his spot McCarthy for the lead.
Open Kei Kamara header = Goal
Kei doing what he does best 👊#LAGvLAFC pic.twitter.com/KJzbkhu135
— LAFC (@LAFC) July 5, 2024
In true chaotic fashion, the goal was immediately followed by a penalty opportunity for LAFC, giving them an excellent chance to double their lead at the end of the half, and in the span of just two minutes. After a trip to the monitor for VAR, the decision was made for the penalty, and it was Denis Bouanga who stepped up to the spot and put it past his former teammate for the second goal of the night. Just like that, Galaxy were on the ropes heading into the halftime break. Like a snake in the grass, LAFC were patient, coiled up and waiting to strike, and in the span of minutes were able to strike with two quick goals to give them a fairly comfortable advantage with a half to play.
Automatic ✔️@BouangaDenis doubles our lead from the spot 🎯#LAGvLAFC 0-2 pic.twitter.com/ZVzj3OVp5g
— LAFC (@LAFC) July 5, 2024
The Galaxy came out for the second half looking to continue to keep possession, but aimed to take advantage of keeping the ball with more looks on goal. While they didn’t light it up, they were getting more threatening shots, being a lot more decisive in their attacks. They opened the half up the stronger team, and it didn’t take long for them to find a goal of their own and make it a match in the 55th minute.
Game on at the Rose Bowl!
Great work from Yamane before Pec puts it away as @LAGalaxy get one back.
📺 #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/WOs15CHwtF pic.twitter.com/VmRdnvWAmO
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 5, 2024
That would be the closest to a result the Galaxy would get. They had a couple decent attempts that were shut down by the in-form goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, but LAFC were able to see out the win for the three points and the revenge. This is the second 2-1 win over the Galaxy for the squad, funnily enough their victory in April also coming with a penalty conversion from Bouanga. This will not be the last meeting between these two with a possible two matches left. There will definitely be one in September, when the team travel to Carson for a proper road match, but there is also the chance these two meet again in the postseason, which will only fuel this fire even more.
The Aftermath
“There are different ways to control the match” said Head Coach Steve Cherundolo after the win. “You can control it with the ball, without the ball, in transition, with set pieces, on the score line, there are many ways to dominate a match. Possession is one of many statistics that the Galaxy are traditionally good in, we are not. We’ve proven over the last couple of years that’s not the only statistic that matters” he continued.
Cherundolo makes an excellent point. So many will look at a stat sheet and assume high possession means high chances and controlling the match. However, in recent years especially, we have seen more and more teams around the world of football start to be a lot more comfortable playing without the ball. Allowing the opposition the feel like they are in control, only to put several goals past them in a matter of minutes from set pieces, or counter attacks. LAFC have mastered this style of play in recent years.
Galaxy finished last night with 65% possession but nothing really to show for it. Result aside, LAFC finished with double their shots, nearly double their shots on target and finished with more touches in the opposition’s box. Outside of a brief 15 minute span to start the second half, it at no point felt like LAFC were in trouble, and that, is controlling a match. Now, the team get ready for a span of four matches across 10 days starting July 7th. Luckily for them three of those matches will be at home, three will be MLS matches while one is the Quarterfinal match in US Open Cup action. Up first, a trip to Houston to take on the always pesky Dynamo.
Thoughts on the win at the Rose Bowl? Leave a comment below!
1 Comment
I think LA FC will be champions this season