Yoshida Late Heroics Lift LA Galaxy to Stunning 3–3 Tie with Rivals LAFC
El Tráfico lives up to the hype again as Galaxy storm back late to deny LAFC the win.
For the second time this season, El Tráfico delivered chaos until the final whistle – and once again, the Galaxy found salvation in the dying moments.
LAFC would open the scoring 25 minutes in with a through ball played behind Emiro Garces to Denis Bouanga, who curled it inside the far post for the early lead.
The Galaxy’s deficit would double in the 31st minute, as Javairo Dilrosun made the best of a poor first touch and put it past Mićović through a crowd of Galaxy defenders to make it 2-0.
LA would get a huge break almost instantly in the 34th, as a handball by Ryan Hollingshead earned a penalty. Gabriel Pec would be the one to step up to the spot – and he would bury it to cut the lead in half.
In the second half, it really began to unravel for the Galaxy. Bouanga’s blistering pace glided through the backline with ease as he got his brace in the 67th minute to make it 3-1. Frustration was at an all-time high, as Garces was seen going at it with Pec after the goal.
Not to be deterred, Pec would bring the Galaxy right back into the match once again in the 79th minute with a beautiful left-footed finish off a slick cross into the box from Marco Reus.
Tempers flared in the 90th minute when jersey pulling between Mauricio Cuevas and David Martinez got everyone in a scuffle, leading to a red card for LAFC defender Eddie Segura.
That man-up advantage proved crucial for the Galaxy, as in the final play of the game came a cross headed into the back of the net by Maya Yoshida. An otherwise disappointing night for the captain was wiped away as he stole a point in front of the LAFC supporter section.
The winless run on the road continues for LA, but stealing another point in the dying moments of a derby match will feel like a win.
“These games are crazy always, so, in a rivalry game or any game you never give up,” said Head Coach Greg Vanney. “These games specifically have always had a way to have some crazy in them. Didn't disappoint there at the end.”
Digging Out of Another Hole – and Somehow Finding a Way
The Galaxy’s habit of playing from behind has become more than a trend – it’s an identity. For the 17th time this season, they conceded first. In those matches, they’ve now gone winless at 0-11-6, often undone by avoidable defensive errors, poor starts, and a reactive approach. Saturday was no different.
What started as another lifeless, error-riddled first half felt like a script the Galaxy have read too many times this year – conceding in transition, failing to track wingers, and showing little composure under pressure. Defensive lapses by Garces and Aude, plus some miscommunication at the back, helped LAFC jump out to multiple two-goal leads. For all three goals, LA was caught out in transition and LAFC capitalized in those moments of the match.
“We made probably three, maybe four big mistakes and got punished for those decisions and those mistakes. And we spent a lot of the game trying to figure out how to turn possessions into a chance. And, yeah, I mean, at 3-1 felt like it was going to be difficult,” Vanney told the media.
But this time, there was just enough fight to salvage something. As in the late draws against Minnesota and the last El Tráfico, it took desperation, a bit of chaos, and some individual quality to claw back. Vanney used five of his subs to fight back in the game, and it eventually paid off.
“We were trying to make some subs and trying to get some guys into positions where we could whip some balls in the box, do something to try to create some numbers up in the box and some action ahead of the ball so that we could try to find a way to break through the wall they had set up there,” said Vanney.
The finish flatters the performance, but it also reinforces this team’s ceiling and floor: the Galaxy are talented enough to come back, but too flawed to stop putting themselves in that position.
“If we lose the ball, it was on three goals I think, three times almost on the left side, and then it's of course hard to come back. But on the other side what I mean with the roller coaster is like somehow we keep our mentality. It shows in the game that we are not giving up, especially in this situation away in a derby,” said Reus.
It's not the kind of result that fixes old problems. But it shows this team still has fight, even when they make it hard on themselves.
Pec Finds A Way to Impact
The LA Galaxy has struggled all season long to find a catalyst in the most high-pressure moments of the season. Pec has struggled to regain his form from last year, with teams focusing on their defensive game plans around limiting the Brazilians impact.
“I think it was hard for [Pec] to find space and to really attack. They do an interesting job of when [Igor] Jesus drops back into the back line, their full backs get really aggressive and get tight to the wingers so it's hard for the wingers sometimes to build any speed at them and really go one-on-one or take them on. I feel like we tried him on the left, we tried him on the right, and he just stuck with the game even though I don't think it was his most influential game in some ways,” said Vanne.
Vanney flipped Pec and Joseph Paintsil during this game, in search of an offensive spark with LA down 3-1. The Brazilian’s second goal of the match was a product of good possession in the final third and Pec finding the right space to be in for a goal-scoring opportunity.
“All the games in the whole season, for him when he stays on the move he's very difficult to play against. When he stands and waits for the ball I feel like teams have a way of defending him that hasn't been his most successful. I think he kept working through the game and trying to find ways,” added Vanney.
Pec has tallied 10 goal contributions (6 goals, 4 assists) in 25 matches played (25 starts) across all competitions during the 2025 campaign. The Galaxy picks up points when Pec is able to rack up goal contributions and be a danger all game long.
“Maya scored finally with the head, with his big head”
Yoshida scored the latest goal scored (96:53) in 26 all-time league matches played between the LA Galaxy and LAFC, surpassing the previous latest goal scored by Carlos Vela (96:11; 07/19/2019 – LAFC 2 at LA Galaxy 3) according to the LA Galaxy communications staff.
Cuevas whipped in a dangerous cross that kept LAFC on its toes, but didn’t account for the impact of LA’s Japanese captain as he rose up to make contact with the ball.
“If we play long ball, everything can happen in the situation. I guess Chris [Ramirez] did a great job of having two or three guys in his back or in his front. Yeah, first time that Maya scored finally with the head, with his big head. Very happy for him,” said Reus to reporters.
Two of Vanney’s subs played a huge role in this goal and stealing a point from enemy territory.
Cuevas is arguably the best crosser of the ball on the LA Galaxy. His ability to whip in a ball with pace and curve allows the Galaxy to have someone who can cross it when it’s desperation time. Ramirez’s ability to be impactful in the air gave something for LAFC’s center backs to focus on. During Yoshida’s goal, it was Ramirez who was double-teamed in the box, occupying a lot of gravity during that play.
“Mauricio has been delivering long time a lot great balls through the season and during the training as well, so I trust him and I believe him where he put the ball. Also Christian brought another centerbacks to the first ball so I had space. So this is my goal, but also the whole squad contribution and showing great spirit, so we need to keep going,” Yoshida told reporters.
It may not have been the ideal result for the LA Galaxy given its circumstances in the table, but LA will take a point after going down 2-0. The focus for Yoshida and the rest of the squad is on Friday night’s match in Houston.
“Next game is very important again. Every game is important now for us. It's Houston away,” said Yoshida
“But good thing is my daughter doesn't like LAFC so at least I can go home with a smile and hopefully she's going to be proud of me.”