Slowly but surely, LAFC is beginning to reestablish its reputation.

LAFC is starting to show that its performance last season was a one off, and Sunday’s performance against the Vancouver Whitecaps appears to have rammed that statement home. LAFC fell behind early, but rallied in a big way, scoring three unanswered goals, and rolled to a 3-1 win at Banc of California Stadium.

“Something that I have got to know from this group is their ability to react to situations and come together and find a way to win,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “They did that again tonight and I am pleased with that.”

Carlos Vela put his stamp on the match with the game-winning goal, but it was Ryan Hollingshead who got LAFC going in the match. Hollingshead scored the tying goal, then found the back net again late in the half to seal the three points and keep LAFC unbeaten to start the season.

“It is a good feeling,,” Hollingshead said of his first career brace. “As a defender, I am not in goal scoring opportunities enough to get braces very often but I do sneak some goals in there. Every year I am in the 4 to 5 goal range, which I love but let’s double it up this year.”

Vancouver had the first say in the match. Vancouver had a free kick in the 12th minute, Sebastian Berhalter sent the set piece into the penalty area, Lucas Cavalini headed a ball that went off the crossbar, but Tristan Blackmon was at the right place at the right time, and the former LAFC defender sent the rebound chance into the back net to stake the visitors to the lead.

LAFC however soon imposed its will on the match. LAFC got the equalizer in the 27th minute, as Vela sent a corner kick into the penalty area and Ryan Hollingshead headed a ball just outside the six-yard box past keeper Thomas Hasal far post to level the match. LAFC then edged ahead in the 38th minute, as Kwadwo Opoku received a throw-in, proceeded to maneuver past several Vancouver defenders on the right flank, took the ball towards the endline before crossing into the six, where Vela touched a ball towards goal, Hasal stopped the shot, but the ball came back to Vela, and he made the most of the second chance, as he one-timed the rebound chance into the back net to put LAFC in the lead.

LAFC was able to keep the Whitecaps at bay throughout the second half, then the moment came for LAFC to lock up the three points, and it came in the 70th minute. A Vela corner kick was headed out of the box, Jose Cifuentes headed the ball back into the penalty area, the ball took another deflection before Hollingshead fired a one-timer from just inside the penalty area that beat Hasal far post that gave LAFC the two-goal cushion it needed to seal the three points.

“We connected more passes and we created more high-quality chances,” Cherundolo said. “Our buildup was much better, which we spent a lot of time working on.”

LAFC will resume play following the international break on April 2, as they head east to face Orlando City.