The circumstances surrounding the 18th edition of El Trafico offer a reversal of roles.
While the Galaxy hold a two-win advantage over the Los Angeles Football Club in Major League Soccer regular season meetings (7-5, with a few more draws between them), the five-time MLS Cup champions have generally participated in the most competitive matches. since 2018 lagging behind their neighbors in the ranking and in hope.
However, after the first month and a half of the 2024 season, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Under the leadership of Will Kuntz, who left LAFC this winter after six seasons in the club’s front office, the Galaxy have a commanding lead in the Supporters’ Shield race and sport a premier look about them. .
“If they’re up there, it’s not luck,” said LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who is among a handful of Black & Gold newcomers who will get their first in-person taste of the Galaxy Saturday at BMO Stadium. “They have quality. Something positive is happening on their side.
Galaxy rookies Joseph Paintsill and Gabriel Pec made an immediate impact, scoring three times between them while freeing up Dejan Joveljic for five goals.
Adding to the possession-based play favored by Galaxy coach Greg Vanney and his staff, LAFC defender Aaron Long noted that the visitor’s “dynamic” attack, led by midfielder Riqui Puig on the ball, gives the Galaxy (3-0-3, 12 points) the ability to play over the top and run behind defenders in a way they couldn’t in recent seasons.
Meanwhile, LAFC (2-3-1, seven points) sits ninth in the Western Conference standings. Six games is too few to know where either team will end up in the fall, and starting fast and early isn’t always an indicator of success, but going undefeated in your first six games cast a new glow on rival LAFC. at a time when the 2022 MLS champions look inconsistent as a slew of newcomers build the foundation they will need to rely on later in the season.
Despite coach Steve Cherundolo’s tendency that the timing of the first of three regular season derbies is no more important than any other for LAFC, experience shows the 37-year-old goalkeeper team that “psychologically it is an important moment of the season to confirm good form at home. And it’s all about confidence. When you win matches, especially important matches, you can rely on this type of feelings for the future,” Lloris said.
Long time agree.
Before experiencing 180 minutes of madness at El Trafico last year, he knew the Hudson River Derby as part of the New York Red Bulls, and he rode with Seattle in battles against Portland.
“Derby games are known to kickstart seasons, that’s for sure,” Long said. “Set you on a new path, for better or for worse. So it’s still a huge match.
As the group attempts to find a secure footing, this will be the first El Trafico in which Carlos Vela is not on the roster. The Mexican leads all players who have participated in the series with 10 goals and five assists during a dozen regular season matches.
Cherundolo said it’s difficult for him to put the Los Angeles rivalry into its proper context for the uninitiated, but “it doesn’t take much to catch up.” You just have to understand the intensity and gravity of the moment.
After a 3-2 loss in Colorado when the wheels fell off late after 18-year-old David Martinez received a red card (making him ineligible to appear on Saturday), “we didn’t get the start as planned, but we also know the season is far away,” said Lloris. “We must achieve consistency in terms of performance, in terms of results, especially away from home. But I think this match comes at the right time for us to judge a little bit where we are.
“It’s a good time for us to challenge this type of team.”
GALAXY AT LAFC
When: Saturday, 4:45 p.m.
Or: BMO Stadium
Television/radio: Fox (Ch. 11), Apple TV+ (free), 7:10 a.m., 9:80 a.m.
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