LAFC 3-2 LA Galaxy, El Trafico summary: score, goals, highlights, MLS 2022 playoffs

FT: LAFC 3-2 LA Galaxy

The 'black and gold' march on and head to the 2022 MLS Western Conference final where they will play the winner of Austin FC-FC Dallas.

Another wild 'El Trafico' derby with drama, incident, tension and plenty of taking points. Heartbreak for Chicharito and his LA Galaxy team as their season comes to an end and the side from the Banc of California Stadium march on in the quest for their first ever MLS Cup win.

The whistle sounds and it's LAFC who progress to the MLS 2022 Western Conference final. Two goals from Bouanga seemed to be enough for the black and gold but twice the Galaxy bounced back and a late, added time winner from Arango was enough to drive the home crowd into raptures in the 93rd minute.

Arango the LAFC hero

We've now passed the added six. Tension high as the Galaxy forge looking for another goal as the fans at the Banc of California Stadium begin to celebrate.

Bond spills the shot and Arango is there to pounce and drive the ball high and into the net. 

Surely that's it now ? Can the Galaxy come back for a third time?

Goal. Arango makes it 3-2.

Extra time beckons. Three minutes of the extra time period remain.

Enjoy !

Six minutes to be added

The game has come to life again after 20 minutes of tension. What a strike that was from the Red Star Belgrade youth product.

The Galaxy draw level and it's the sub Joveljic as the sub scores with his first touch. 

A spectacular strike from the Serbian international.

Two switches for the Galaxy as Delgado and Caceres are replaced by Williams and Joveljic

VAR set to be consulted after a hint of offside about the goal....

The goal stands... LAFC lead with less than ten minutes left

Bouanga makes it 2-1...Advantage LAFC!

Carlos Vela leaves the action to be replaced by Opoku

Fifteen to go... is there a winning goal here or are we destined for extra-time ?

Less than 20 minutes remain and this has not been a great second half. We've seen little in terms of football and nerves and tension are the dominant emotions as the ref gets both captains together and asks for calm from both teams.

Chicharito appeals for a red for Murillo after the LAFC defender clips Cabral with a reckless swing. 

Once again, the referee remains un-fussed and continues to martial the game admirably. 

Free for the Galaxy.. Edwards and Brugman over the ball and it takes a great save from Crepeau who smothers at the second time of asking.

Grandsir off-Vazquez on for La Galaxy.

Puig has a go from long range but Crepeau in the LAFC goal does well to gather the ball. 

Carlos Vela carded too as the game still struggles to find a rhythm in the second half. 

We seem to have moved into the 'fear of losing' exceeding the 'desire to win' territory and we still have over 25 minutes to go.

Coulibaly goes to ground after a collision. The Galaxy defender needs medical attention and manages to get to his feet with the game set to resume.

Murillo carded as he clips Chicharito. The referee has been solid so far as we head towards the hour mark.

Call for a spot kick for LAFC as Edwards wrestles Vela to the ground. 

The whistle had gone for an earlier infringement though. The second half still yet to ignite.

Cabral set to come on for Costa (Galaxy switch)

Card for Palacios as he clips Puig.

We've seen little from the Mexican veteran strikers Vela and Chicharito with the LAFC man instrumental with the assist and little else. The Galaxy striker managed one dangerous shot in the first 45' but it's been a discreet game so far from the former Sevilla, Real Madrid etc man.

A place in the Western Conference awaits the winner here where they will face the winner of the FC Dallas-Austin FC tie.

Cifuentes really should score as he rises unchallenged but heads wide. Where was the Galaxy defence ?

No changes from either side at the interval.

Off we go, the black and gold get us underway.

The teams are back on the pitch ahead of the second 45'.

1-1 at the break. Should the game be deadlocked at the end of 90 minutes, then the game would go to extra time and possibly a penalty shoot-out if there is no breakthrough after 120 minutes of football.

1-1 at half time

It's been a bright and entertaining first 45' in LA. The Galaxy have shaded it in terms of chances and deserve to be level. 

Chicharito has been quiet and Riqui Puig very lucky to be on the pitch after his violent conduct early on in the half.

All to play for in the second 45'.

All square at the break... Bouanga for LAFC and Grandsir drawing the home side level on the stroke of the break.

Edwards carded too for his trip. 

Vela shoots as tensions flare now.... 

The whistle sounds and the players head to the dressing room.

Edwards pleads his innocence but the referee points to the spot. Upon repeat it looks like, a) the incident was outside the box and b) there was minimum contact.

No penalty, a free for LAFC outside the box. 

More drama now as Vela is clipped in the box and the ref points to the spot.

The Grandsir leveller

Difficult to say that the Galaxy didn't deserve that.

Greg Vanney's team have been the better side during the bulk of the first half.

The Galaxy draw level... 1-1

The Galaxy in control in terms of possession so far:

LAFC 40-60 Galaxy (%)

Delgado fouls and LAFC win a dangerous free some 15 feet or so outside the box. Coulibaly is on hand to head clear.

The ball falls to Cifuentes but drives the ball straight at Bond.

Ten minutes of the half remain and it's been fast, furious and frantic as one would expect from a MLS semi-final game and an LA derby. 

LAFC lead but the Galaxy have enjoyed the better of the contest so far.

Bouanga needs treatment as he collides with a man from the Galaxy. 

Tello a possible sub.

A Chicharito effort goes over the bar but great work from Puig who has yet been unable to impose himself in the central role for the Galaxy.

Despite being behind in the game, the Galaxy are still very much the better side here at the Banc of California Stadium.

We've seen little or nothing from Chicharito as we pass the 30 minute mark.

The LAFC goal

Vela passes, Bouanga finishes... LAFC take the lead

After a very flat 20 or so minutes from the home side, a great range of vision from Vela and a show of strength from Bouanga as he muscled Douglas Costa off the ball, and the home side are in front.

Bouanga puts the home side in front against the run of play after a delughtful assist from Vela.

It's been a quiet 20 minutes from Carlos Vela with the Mexican going close early on from the free-kick, but little else from the former Real Sociedad man tonight.

Grandsir tries again as he curls a fine left footed effort on target and the ball just rattles off the LAFC crossbar.

It's the side in white who are dominating the action and have been in top for the past ten minutes.

Grandsir shoots but the Frenchman blazes the ball high and wide. 

The atmosphere is vibrant here at the ground in downtown LA with the 3252 supporters creating a riot of noise in the North stand,

Chicharito comes over and drags Puig away from the scene of the incident. 

LA Galaxy survive and play on with 11 players. No intervention from VAR and good news for the neutral.

The former Barcelona man is a lucky, luck player as he squares up to Segura and seems to react with his head.

A yellow was more than lenient from match official Chapman and the Galaxy could have been down to ten men then !

Puig could be off here !

There were a few comments pre-game about the state of the pitch at the Banc of California Stadium and we could see there as Martin Caceres defended how bits of dry, parched earth flew up,

LA Galaxy pressing with plenty of intensity as we pass the ten minute mark.

Both sides feeling their way into the game with Alan Chapman incidentally our match official tonight.

Early free for LAFC as Carlos Vela screws the ball inches wide of the Galaxy post.

Second ever MLS Cup play-off meeting .... an excellent atmpsphere at the Banc of California stadium

Off we go in LA

All set for kick-off

The LAFC fans pack the North Stand of the Banc of California stadium with kick-off looming closer 

As always, there is a degree of 'flexibility' over tonight's kick-off and it appears that we'll be underway at 7:30 pm (PT).

By the way, it appears that Gareth Bale picked up a slight knock during training this week with the Welsh striker not set to be involved in tonight's action.

Vela's importance for the home side

The ‘black and gold’ take on their city rivals LA Galaxy in the 2022 MLS Western Conference semi-final and someone will no doubt write themselves into local history.

The obvious choice is Carlos Vela, top scorer of El Tráfico with 10 goals; his best perhaps his first, a delightful left-footed sweep of the ball into the top corner, back in 2018. His left foot has been the reason LAFC have won many matches, and even more so in ways that are almost indescribable.

The management of his minutes has been something that boss Steve Cherundolo has been keeping a close eye on, but Vela has the capacity to shoot from long-range, take on as many defenders as he likes, and find pockets of space nobody knew about before.

The Union advance!

We have the first finalist of the Eastern Conference as the Union advance thanks to a 1-0 win over Cincinnati !

Leon Flach bagging the only goal of the night for the home side.

We have the first finalist of the Eastern Conference as the Union advance thanks to a 1-0 win over Cincinnati !

Leon Flach bagging the only goal of the night for the home side.

Towels for the fans

All fans at the Banc of California tonight will get a special commemorative MLS Western Conference play-off towel ! 

Just over 10' remaining in the other game in Philly with the Union still one goal to the good. A goal for Cincinnati and extra time there could impact on our Banc of California game starting at the scheduled 7:00 pm (PT).

Galaxy XI

The visitors from neighbouring Carson too confirm their team for tonight's MLS Western Conference semi-final with young former FC Barcelona star Riqui Puig at the heart of the Galaxy midfield.

The 23-year-old was hugely influential in last Saturday's quarter-final win over Nashville SC.

LAFC XI confirmed

We have team news with Steve Cherundolo announcing his line-up for tonight's contest as Vela, Arango and Bouanga all start up front for the home side.

Galaxy fans angry over LA Metro's LAFC support

A series of Galaxy fans have expressed their anger on social media with Los Angeles Metro (the local company that oversees buses, trains, bikes etc for the city), expressing their loyalty to the black and gold side of the city !

Breaking: Philadeplhia Union take the lead in the other MLS semi-final on the hour mark with Flach firing the home side ahead

(60'): Philadelphia Union 1-0 FC Cincinnati

Galaxy fans start to arrive

There will only be 285 official LA Galaxy fans at the Banc of California Stadium tonight after, they allege that LAFC reduced, by 50% the normal amount of away tickets normally allocated to visiting supporters.

LAFC vs La Galaxy (possible starting XIs)

Still no sign of the official starting line-ups... These are what we anticipate as being the starting XI's

LAFC: Crépeau; Palacios, Murillo, Segura, Hollingshead; Sánchez, Acosta, Cifuentes; Vela, Arango, Bouanga

LA Galaxy: Bond; Edwards, Cáceres, Coulibaly, Araujo; Delgado, Brugman, Puig; Cabral, Chicharito, Grandsir

The first of the four MLS 2022 semi-finals is already underway with Philadelphia Union and FC Cincinnati tied 0-0 at half-time.

Fans beginning to arrive at Banc of California Stadium

The first bunch of black and gold fans arrive at the home of LAFC, downtown's Banc of California Stadium, as we're just an hour away from kick-off.

MLS

LAFC vs LA Galaxy injury report: Who is out for El Tráfico in the conference semifinals?

mls

El Tráfico: What are the predicted line-ups for LAFC and LA Galaxy’s 2022 MLS playoff semi-final?

Carlos Vela 'ready to play'

“Carlos is doing great and pretty much everyone is on board and ready to go,” said LAFC coach Cherundolo after Tuesday’s training session which means that everyone from the Los Angeles Football Club is healthy and ready to play on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Galaxy in the conference semifinal.

Dallas or Austin await in Western Conference final

Tonight's winners will advance to the final of the Western Conference where they will face either Dallas or Austin with that final game of the four Conference semi-finals set to be staged on Sunday.

In the East, Philadelphia face Cincinnati and reigning champions NYCFC to play Montreal.

The 2022 MLS Cup final is scheduled for 5 November.

SOCCER

Why is LAFC vs LA Galaxy called El Tráfico?

Chicharito in no doubt about biggest MLS rivalry

The Mexican striker was speaking to the media at Thursday's training session and was asked about the magnitude of 'El Trafico'

For sure, one hundred percent,” said Chicharito when asked if this was the biggest rivalry in MLS. “I don’t know, the players that have been in this organization [LA Galaxy], the city and LA Galaxy is the biggest organization here in MLS and to have a very direct rival it makes everything more interesting I think.”

Shoulder to Shoulder

We did like this video issues by both clubs reminding fans that this is just a sport and that the rivalry between both Los Angeles teams should always remain a healthy one.

History on the side of the Galaxy

When it come to local ‘bragging rights’, Galaxy fans hold the upper hand with their side having won six of the thirteen meetings in MLS regular season. Five games have ended in a draw with the ‘black and gold’ only managing two derby wins in the league.

There have been three other meetings between the Los Angeles giants with the Galaxy edging out the ‘black and gold’ in a recent US Open Cup clash. When it comes to post season meetings, LAFC can point to their win in the 2018 season play-off game and the Banc of California based side also secured victory over the Galaxy during the MLS is Back mini-competition staged in Florida during the pandemic affected 2020 season.

Along with Philadelphia Union in the east, Steve Cherundolo’s side are very much the ‘team to beat’ this season after his men scooped the 2022 Supporters Shield winning 21 games in the regular season and ending up as Conference winners with an 11 point advantage over second placed Austin FC.

The 2022 MLS Western Conference playoff semi-final action gets underway at 7:00 pm (PT), which equates to US: 10:00 pm (ET) and 04:00 am CEST (on Friday).

Hello and welcome to our live coverage from the Banc of California Stadium in downtown LA as the black and gold of LAFC face five-time MLS Cup winners LA Galaxy.