In the short history of the El Trafico series between the Galaxy and LAFC, the teams have usually been separated by a wide margin the Western Conference standings.
The Galaxy has finished ahead of LAFC only once in 2021. Last season, the widest gap appeared as LAFC finished third and the Galaxy was 13th.
The margin this season is still to be determined, but heading into Thursday’s showdown at the Rose Bowl, the Galaxy expects to be in the race this season.
“All the players, we mark on the calendar, it’s one of the best games we have on the season,” Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig said of the clash. “Last year, the atmosphere was amazing and we want to repeat (it) the same because we are ready and we are really happy to have this game on Thursday.”
Not only are bragging rights on the line, but also sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.
The Galaxy and LAFC are tied with 40 points and riding a strong wave of momentum. LAFC (12-4-4) is on nine-game unbeaten streak. The Galaxy (11-3-7) has won four consecutive games and six of its last seven to reach the top of the conference.
“These are the games as a professional that you want to play,” Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy said. “Two top teams competing to be at the top … it’ll be a good one.”
McCarthy was on the other side of the field in last year’s game at the Rose Bowl, starting in goal for LAFC. Tyler Boyd scored in the 26th minute and Puig scored the winning goal in the 73rd in a 2-1 Galaxy victory in front of a crowd of an MLS-record 82,110 fans.
The first meeting this season ended with LAFC winning 2-1 on April 6. That was the sixth game of the season for the frustrated Galaxy.
“We were still integrating some of our guys, Joe (Joseph Paintsil) and Gabe (Gabriel Pec) had just got here,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “I think both teams have certainly grown and figured some things out about themselves. Both teams are now in really good form and playing well and getting good results.
“For us, it’s just been maturing as a group and the collective, getting new guys on the same page with our principles and things we want to do, being a little bit more tactically sound in certain situations, especially just transition defending and some of those things that we need to be a little bit cleaner. I just think we’re maturing.
“That’s what a season is for. When you add key players in important positions, that’s what you hope to do in a season is to grow and learn from your different experiences and tighten things up and continue to get better. I think that’s just what the group is.”
Now, the Galaxy get a chance to put everything on display in front of another large crowd at the place where their history began in 1996.
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“This is as motivating as a midseason game can be,” Vanney said. “Against your rivals in the Rose Bowl, sounds pretty good to me. Whenever you play a game inside the Rose Bowl or a stadium like the Rose Bowl, it feels like it has an added magnitude to it. The crowd will be bigger, the crowd will be more involved, but with both teams being at the top, it really feels like there’s a special occasion to try to be the sole team at the top of the West at the end of the night.
“Lot of motivation inside of this game, also this is one of the few games we lost earlier in the year and we want to show our progress in the season and step out and have a good performance and get a good result.”
GALAXY vs. LAFC
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: Rose Bowl
How to watch: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)