All that was needed was three minutes.
Three minutes was all LAFC needed to get the three points on a hot Sunday afternoon. In a nationally televised showdown at Banc of California Stadium against the New York Red Bulls, LAFC got goals from Cristian Arango and Diego Palacios inside a three-minute stretch in the second half that turned a scoreless match into a 2-0 win.
“I think we say exactly what we expected,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “Both teams fought hard, it was a competitive game.”
Arango edged LAFC ahead in the 67th minute just two minutes after coming in as a substitute. Jose Cifuentes headed down a ball sent from Palacios, the ball went to the feet of Carlos Vela, who touched a ball forward before send a forward ball himself for Arango, who timed his run perfectly past the Red Bulls backline, dribbled into the penalty area, then fired a shot near the penalty spot that beat Carlos Coronel far post. Then in the 70th minute, LAFC struck again, as Brian Rodriguez lost his defender and dribbled towards the Red Bulls penalty area. Rodriguez slowed down as the Red Bulls backline recovered and still managed to take the ball into the penalty area, play a ball to Palacios, who faked a shot attempt to get Thomas Edwards to the ground and then took the shot that beat Coronel far post to widen the LAFC lead, which they eventually rode out to the result.
“We had a plan, we stuck with the plan and we executed,” LAFC midfielder Ilie Sanchez said.
Sunday’s win was the latest in the wave of headlines the franchise has been generating. Already in first place with the highest point total of any team in MLS, LAFC took steps to bolster its defense almost two weeks ago when they had signed legendary Italian defender Giorgio Chielini. Then on Saturday, LAFC sent shockwaves across the soccer world, as reports emerged that the team is on the verge of signing of international superstar Gareth Bale.
Bale rose to stardom with Tottenham Hotspur, where he scored 42 goals in 146 games with the North London squad. Bale when went to Real Madrid in 2013 and immediately saw success, scoring 81 goals in 176 games and helping Real Madrid win four UEFA Champions League titles, three La Liga titles and three FIFA Club World Cup titles. Bale’s last few years with Madrid however were turbulent despite his production on the pitch. An attempted move to China in 2019 fell through, and a return stint with Tottenham did not materialize into a permanent transfer. This past season, Bale played sparingly for Madrid, and his departure from Sandiago Bernabeu was made official on June 1. Bale has also been a star on the international stage for Wales, as he has scored 39 goals in 106 appearances and has led Wales to its most recent success, which includes reaching the semifinals of Euro 2016 and qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
And if that wasn’t enough news to keep LAFC fans excited, Sunday was also the day it was confirmed that the face of the franchise, Carlos Vela had agreed on an extension that would keep Vela in Los Angeles through the remainder of this season and all of next season. Vela’s contract with LAFC had been set to expire on Friday, and though reports had been out since April that the two sides had agreed to an extension, Sunday was the first day that both sides had publicly acknowledged that the new deal was essentially done.
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