Photo courtesy of LAFC.
Carlos Vela, right, did not last lone in Wednesday’s US Open Cup match against the LA Galaxy, getting subbed off in the 20th minute due to injury.
Once again, Dignity Health Sports Park continues to be a house of horrors for LAFC.
The LA Galaxy and LAFC met again on Wednesday, this time in the Round of 16 of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. However, unlike past years, when the games were anything but short on drama on the field, Wednesday night’s match turned into a one-sided match, at least in the second half. Goals from Keven Cabral, Javier Chicharito Hernandez and Dejan Joveljic were more than enough to knock LAFC out of the US Open Cup courtesy of the 3-1 win.
“The energy, the competitive spirit, the speed at which we were moving and playing set the tone for the game,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “We stayed organized. We stayed connected. Everybody played on both sides of the ball. With it and without it. And, we worked through the game and we found our opportunities. And, we made them.”
The win moves the Galaxy into the quarterfinals of the USOC, against an opponent to be determined as a later date, as is the venue of the match. The loss for LAFC keeps them winless against the Galaxy in Carson, as they have amassed a woeful 0-4-2 record in road games against the Galaxy since entering the league back in 2018.
“The performance was more disappointing than the result,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “I saw an LAFC team that was undisciplined at times tactically, occupied or preoccupied with the wrong situations and just not focused on what they need to do to win the game.”
After a scoreless first half, the Galaxy took control of the match in the second half. The Galaxy got on the board in the 51st minute, as Samuel Grandsir chased a ball down the left side of the field, Grandsir then made a cutting move inside and sent a ball into the penalty area and Kevin Cabral, who had snuck behind the LAFC back line, slotted in the sliding shot past keeper Maxime Crepeau far post.
The Galaxy were just getting started. Six minutes after the opening goal, the Galaxy were on a counter attack, Cabral played a perfectly weighted ball to Grandsir, who took a few touches before crossing into the penalty area and Chicharito came in and he slid and took a shot that bounced past Crepeau far post to double the Galaxy lead. The Galaxy basically put the match out of reach in the 81st minute, as Julian Araujo crossed into the penalty area, Cabral moved the ball around the penalty area, the backheeled a ball to Raheem Edwards, who then fired a shot on goal and Joveljic’s flick sent the ball past Crepeau far post. The only consolation for LAFC was that they were able to prevent the shutout in the 85th minute, as Ryan Hollingshead headed in a Jose Cifuentes cross.
“It was huge, it was important,” Chicharito said of the win. “Now the most important thing that we need to show that against any team. That’s the mentality and the mindset we should have. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to score three goals every single game or we’re going to win every single game. We’re going to aim for that obviously, but I think the mentality, the confidence, the hunger, the bravery. And we show we need to maintain that and mostly in our home.”
LAFC was in a bind early in the match. The first blow came when Carlos Vela was subbed out int he 20th minute due to injury, and the injury bug bit LAFC again just before halftime as Diego Palacios had to leave the match after a collision with a Galaxy player.
“I felt something bothersome with the quad during the match,” Vela said. “I can’t say how bad it is right now, I’ll have to get evaluated, and we’ll see from there, but I always want to be available to the team and contribute.”
Both the Galaxy and LAFC resumes MLS play at home this weekend, with LAFC hosting the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, and the Galaxy welcoming Austin FC to Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.
