One strike off his first touch by Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent the LA Galaxy fans into a frenzy.
Los Angeles Galaxy 4- Los Angeles FC 3
By Ivan Yeo
It could have been scripted any better.
MLS and LA Galaxy’s latest marquee signing making his debut in a high-profile matchup and the first ever matchup against your crosstown rivals, and that player comes in and immediately makes his presence felt.
Well that was what happened on a cloudy yet warm afternoon at the StubHub Center. Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his arrival to MLS in a huge way, as he scored the equalizer and winning goal as the Galaxy came all the way back from a three-goal deficit to defeat LAFC 4-3, in the first of what will be many scintillating matchups with LAFC.
“I am still hungry, It was a good start,” Ibrahimovic said. “I’m only here two days, and what I see, I’m super happy for them… When everything is new, many new players, to settle in, everything isn’t easy, especially for myself. It was hot. It was hot on the pitch. After 10 minutes, I was asking for sun screen because I was burning. But it went well anyways. So I’m super happy for the win.”
Ibrahimovic came on the 71st minute with the Galaxy trailing 3-1. The Galaxy pulled to within a goal in the 73rd minute when Emmanuel Boateng dribbled into the penalty area, played a cross towards the six-yard box and Chris Pontius sent a diving header past keeper Tyler Miller into the back net.
Then it was Ibra time, and it started in the 77th minute. Miller sent a goal kick deep, Daniel Steres headed a ball forward over the halfway line, Galaxy forward and LAFC defender both jumped for the ball, the ball went over both players, but that allowed the ball to fall to Ibrahimovic, who saw Miller still off his line and Ibrahimovic launched from about 40 yards out, the ball sailed over Miller and into the back net, sending the StubHub Center into a frenzy.
If the stadium was electric for Ibrahimovic scoring the equalizer, the decibel levels reached a fever pitch in stoppage time with the Galaxy looking for the winner. Baggio Husidic sent a ball forward, Ibrahimovic initially sprinted for the ball, but realized he was offside, so he pulled back. Ashley Cole chased down the ball, played the cross into the box and Ibrahimovic beat both Miller and Laurent Ciman and headed the ball for the goal far post.
“I am demanding a lot from me when I play,” Ibrahimovic said. “I have a lot of pressure coming here from the media, from the fans, from the club, and the players, but nothing is compared to my own pressure. I said many times, I’m not here because I’m Ibrahimovic, I’m here to perform.”
In the first half, it was LAFC’s star, Carlos Vela that made his name known to the StubHub Center faithful. Five minutes into the match, Vela got his chance. Steve Beitashour dispossessed Boateng, played a pass to Vela, who took a couple of touches before firing a curling volley off his left foot that hit its spot perfectly, as the shot sailed past keeper David Bingham and went in at the upper left corner into the back net and the LAFC fans erupted.
Vela gave the visiting fans some more to cheer about in the 26th minute. Marco Urena played a ball to Diego Rossi just outside the penalty area, Rossi then found Vela, who was open in the box, Bingham came off his line , but Vela managed to keep the ball, then flicked a ball that hit the cross bar, but crossed the goal line and all of a sudden, LAFC had stunned the home crowd with a two-goal lead. LAFC appeared to put a stranglehold on the match early in the second half when Urena sprinted with the ball into the penalty area, Urena played a cross intended for a trailing Vela, Galaxy defender Daniel Steres played cross and though he cut off the cross, the ball continued forward, getting past Bingham into the back net for an own goal and a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead.
“I thought we got off to a great start,” Vela said. “We got ahead but we couldn’t control the game and we lost the game. Being up 3-0 we should not have allowed them to comeback.”
The Galaxy soon had their say. The Galaxy finally got on the board in the 61st minute, as Servando Carrasco dispossessed Benny Feilhaber just outside the penalty area, Carrasco played a short pass to Sebastian Lletget into the penalty area and Lletget one-timed a short volley past Miller.
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