LA Galaxy Stage Dramatic Comeback Against LAFC as Bouanga Breaks Historic Record in El Trafico Classic

While there are numerous concerns surrounding the 2025 LA Galaxy campaign, their resilience and determination remain unquestionable.

During Saturday evening's final El Tráfico encounter of the MLS season versus LAFC, the Western Conference bottom-dwellers Galaxy managed to salvage a crucial point in dramatic fashion when former Japan national team defender Maya Yoshida netted in the seventh minute of added time to earn a 3–3 stalemate.

Despite enduring 20 matches with only one victory, the Galaxy have collected two victories, two ties and one defeat across their recent five fixtures, providing a glimmer of optimism that their campaign might still have life.

"One point, it's a valuable point," Yoshida commented post-match, with his strike adding to Gabriel Pec's earlier double. "It's a derby, so our current league position is irrelevant, but honestly, I believe the goals we allowed were far too simple. The positive aspect is my daughter dislikes LAFC, so at least I can return home smiling and hopefully she'll be proud of me."

Throughout most of this campaign, discovering any comfort has proven challenging for the Galaxy. After all, players can only endure so many hard-earned narrow defeats before frustration begins to creep in.

Unlike other struggling clubs, the Galaxy have remained competitive in virtually every contest they've participated in, yet have fallen short by narrow margins. Seven of their 14 losses have occurred by a single goal margin. This element, combined with Saturday's comeback tie that prevented consecutive defeats, made Yoshida's equalizing strike a pivotal moment.

"This match demonstrates once more the unpredictable nature of our season," Galaxy midfielder Marco Reus observed. "Somehow, we maintain our fighting spirit. The game shows we refuse to surrender, particularly in this scenario where we're playing away in a derby... I sensed we could have claimed victory if we had played with more pace."

Despite earning the point, the Galaxy remain at the conference bottom and trail the final MLS Cup Playoff position by 13 points, as they prepare for their upcoming fixture against Houston Dynamo on Friday.

"We won't surrender until it's mathematically impossible," Reus declared. "So it begins anew Friday in Houston with another road match. If we wish to continue our pursuit, we must secure victory."

Bouanga Maintains Derby Dominance

Among all competitors who have featured across 26 El Tráfico encounters, few match the impact of Denis Bouanga, whose counter-attacking prowess was once again on display Saturday evening with a two-goal performance.

With his brace, he ascended to become the second-leading scorer in derby history, surpassing Zlatan Ibrahimović while still trailing Carlos Vela, and the display represented his sixth consecutive El Trafico appearance with a goal.

"[El Tráfico] resembles a championship final, you must exceed your limits, and it's a derby that holds special significance, so I anticipate scoring more next season and surpassing Carlos Vela's records," Bouanga stated following the contest.

"Vela represents a legendary figure from the past, and discovering I'm approaching his achievements feels more like a collective accomplishment than personal success, so as long as the squad appreciates my contributions, that's what truly counts."

Cherundolo's Final El Tráfico

Unless the LA Galaxy produce an extraordinary surge to reach the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, Saturday's contest likely represented the concluding El Tráfico battle for LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo, who confirmed his departure from the organization following the season's end.

Although the experienced manager couldn't claim victory for his final record, he will exit the Black and Gold holding the advantage in this rivalry, having guided LAFC to six victories, five defeats and two draws since assuming control in 2022.

However, he and his squad won't have extended time to contemplate the dropped points, as they focus on their upcoming encounter with Portland Timbers, where they aim to strengthen their standing and advance from their current fifth position in the Western Conference.