Episode 334 - LAFC Tops the West! Galaxy Collapse in Houston!

Defenders of the Banc - The LAFC Podcast

On Episode 334, Filly and Scarf recap an absolutely unbelievable Decision Day, both at BMO and in Houston! The subs save the day in LA while a former Carsonite sinks their ship at the death! It was a roller coaster of emotions for about 15 minutes, but LAFC comes out on top in the West as we get set to kick off the Western Conference Playoffs!
Things looked bleak for the first 45' for LAFC, as an early goal by Jackson Yueill, off an ill-advised pass from Eddie Segura, gave the road side a lead and meant that LAFC would need at least three on the day. Another offside goal from Giroud and an anemic first half attack (0 shots on target) sent the club into the halftime break down a goal. But in Houston, an Ezequiel Ponce goal just before the halftime whistle saw the home side take the lead, and left everything to play for at BMO!
LAFC opened the second half a little better, but it was just after the hour mark that LAFC truly woke up. A Denis Bouanga banger off a great Tillman cross leveled things at home, and the reinforcements came on soon after. Kei Kamara, Eduard Atuesta, and, later, Marlon, would all factor in the win.
Atuesta's first few touches were magic, as he took a great 1-2 ball from Kei and rocketed it home past Daniel to give LAFC the 2-1 lead! With Aaron Long cramping in the 80', the Carlos Vela homecoming was put on hold, as LAFC used their 5th sub to bring on Marlon for Long. Serendipity doesn't always announce itself right away, but it would take Marlon just 10 minutes to become an LAFC hero!
Off a great Atuesta free kick, Marlon, running in the same channel as Chanot, got his head to the cross and flicked it past Daniel and into the back of the net to give LAFC the 2-goal advantage it needed to move into 1st in the West! With our result secure, everyone turned to their phones, and turned into Dynamo fans!
Alas, hopes were dashed in the 6th minute of stoppage time, as a Puig penalty call turned into a Pec rocket, and the score was leveled at 1. With the top spot seemingly gone, LAFC had to hope for a miracle, and we got one in the form of Burbank's own Daniel Steres! An 11th-minute stoppage-time header gave Houston an improbable 2-1 win, and handed LAFC the top spot in the West. It was an unreal scene at BMO!
Also on this episode, we remember jewelry made from a plane and wish our LAFC2 boys well in their first playoff match. What a night at BMO! Now, as Ilie said, "the best is yet to come!"