Gabriel Pec scored a brace and an assist. At the same time, Maya Yoshida delivered a stoppage-time equalizer to help LA Galaxy rally from a two-goal deficit and got a 3-3 draw against LAFC at BMO Stadium on Saturday night. The Galaxy head to Houston on Friday, July 25, for a clash with the Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT on MLS Season Pass.
LOS ANGELES — Trailing 3-1 late in the second half, the LA Galaxy mounted a dramatic comeback in front of 22,301 spectators. Yoshida’s header in the 97th minute completed the rally and etched his name in rivalry history with the latest goal ever scored in El Tráfico.
26th All-Time Meeting Between LA Galaxy and LAFC
Saturday’s encounter marked the 26th El Tráfico across all competitions. With the result, the Galaxy now hold a slight edge in the series at 10-9-7 (57 goals for, 56 against). In league play, the Galaxy are 8-7-7 versus LAFC, while the postseason favors LAFC 2-0. The Galaxy have claimed both U.S. Open Cup meetings.
The 2025 regular-season head-to-head ended 0-0-2, with five goals scored apiece. At BMO Stadium, LA Galaxy’s all-time record now sits at 2-6-4. El Tráfico continues to deliver high-scoring drama, averaging 4.3 goals per game. Yoshida’s 96:53 strike topped the previous latest goal set by Carlos Vela (96:11) in 2019.
Galaxy’s Recent Form
Over their past eight matches dating back to May 31, the Galaxy have posted a 3-2-3 record, scoring 15 goals and conceding 12. Marco Reus has led the charge with two goals and five assists in that stretch.
Scoring Summary
LAFC – Denis Bouanga (Ryan Hollingshead), 26th minute: Hollingshead fed Bouanga down the left edge of the box, and the Gabonese forward curled a shot into the far corner.
LAFC – Javairo Dilrosun (Nathan Ordaz), 31st minute: Ordaz raced down the left and squared a ball across the six-yard box to Dilrosun, who slotted it left-footed past the keeper.
LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec (Penalty), 36th minute: Hollingshead was called for a handball, and Pec buried the penalty into the lower left corner.
LAFC – Denis Bouanga (Nathan Ordaz), 67th minute: Bouanga picked up possession in midfield and drove toward goal before finishing low into the left corner.
LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec (Marco Reus, Joseph Paintsil), 79th minute: Reus delivered a driven cross from the right side that Pec finished first-time into the far post.
LA Galaxy – Maya Yoshida (Mauricio Cuevas, Gabriel Pec), 90+7th minute: Cuevas swung in a cross from the right, and Yoshida met it with a precise header at the far post.
Key Notes and Stats
This was the 26th El Tráfico across all competitions, and the Galaxy now lead 10-9-7 overall.
In league meetings, LA Galaxy are 8-7-7 vs. LAFC; they’ve lost both playoff matchups and won both U.S. Open Cup clashes.
The two 2025 regular-season encounters were both draws, each ending 3-3.
Galaxy’s road record at BMO Stadium across all competitions stands at 2-6-4.
This was the eighth time in the rivalry that both teams combined for at least six goals.
Gabriel Pec tallied two goals and an assist on the night, bringing his 2025 total to 10 goal contributions (6 goals, 4 assists) in 25 starts.
Reus leads LA with eight assists in league play and has five goal contributions in just three career matches vs. LAFC.
The German international has registered 13 goal contributions (5 goals, 8 assists) in his last 14 appearances.
Joseph Paintsil now has four goal contributions (3 goals, 1 assist) in his last four matches.
Cuevas notched his second assist of the season.
Yoshida scored his first goal of the year, marking the latest goal ever in El Tráfico history (96:53), surpassing Vela’s 96:11 in 2019.
The Galaxy are a perfect 3-for-3 on penalties this season, with Paintsil converting two and Pec one.
Next Match
The Galaxy will resume MLS play on Friday, July 25, traveling to face the Houston Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT on MLS Season Pass.
2025 Regular Season Recap
LA Galaxy (3-14-7, 16 pts) at LAFC (10-5-6, 36 pts)
Saturday, July 19, 2025 – BMO Stadium, Los Angeles
Goals by Half:
LA Galaxy – 1 | 2 | 3
LAFC – 2 | 1 | 3
Scorers:
LFC: Bouanga (Hollingshead), 26
LFC: Dilrosun (Ordaz), 31
LA: Pec (PK), 36
LFC: Bouanga (Ordaz), 67
LA: Pec (Reus, Paintsil), 79
LA: Yoshida (Cuevas, Pec), 90+7
Discipline
LFC: Palencia (Y), 39
LA: Sanabria (Y), 45+1
LFC: Tillman (Y), 61
LFC: Segura (R), 90+1
LA: Pec (Y), 90+3
LFC: Lloris (Y), 90+6
Starting Lineups
LA Galaxy:
Novak Mićović; Miki Yamane (Cuevas 81’), Emiro Garcés, Maya Yoshida (C), Julián Aude (Nelson 81’); Edwin Cerrillo (Parente 81’), Lucas Sanabria (Fagundez 46’), Marco Reus; Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil, Matheus Nascimento (Ramirez 81’)
Unused Subs: John McCarthy, Zanka, Tucker Lepley, Miguel Berry
Shots: 10 (Pec 3) | On Target: 6 | Fouls: 10 (Nascimento 3) | Offside: 2 | Corners: 3 | Saves: 1
LAFC:
Hugo Lloris (C); Eddie Segura, Sergi Palencia, Ryan Hollingshead, Nkosi Tafari; Igor Jesus, Mark Delgado (Amaya 76’), Timothy Tillman (Smoliakov 90’); Javairo Dilrosun (Martinez 84’), Nathan Ordaz (Ebobisse 76’), Denis Bouanga (Yeboah 84’)
Unused Subs: David Ochoa, Kenny Nielsen, Joshua Santiago, Adam Saldana
Shots: 8 (Bouanga 3) | On Target: 4 | Fouls: 9 (Palencia 3) | Offside: 0 | Corners: 4 | Saves: 3
Officials
Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr.
Assistants: Cory Richardson, Nick Uranga
Fourth Official: Ramy Touchan
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
Weather: Clear, 71°F
Attendance: 22,301
*All stats unofficial*
Postgame Reactions
Greg Vanney – LA Galaxy Head Coach
Vanney praised his players’ resilience, especially their ability to stay organized and keep pushing despite trailing. He highlighted tactical adjustments, including bringing on Cuevas for his delivery and shifting Reus’s role to generate more final-third entries. On Pec, Vanney acknowledged his perseverance, noting that while he struggled to find space at times, he remained decisive when it mattered.
Maya Yoshida – LA Galaxy Defender
Yoshida appreciated the fightback but emphasized that the defensive lapses were concerning. He mentioned the team’s inconsistency and stressed the importance of improved focus going forward. His late equalizer brought joy at home—especially since, in his words, “my daughter doesn’t like LAFC.”
Marco Reus – LA Galaxy Midfielder
Reus viewed the draw as part of the team’s ongoing roller-coaster season. He noted the impact of missed transitions and emphasized the value of mentality. While proud of the comeback, he believed the team could have done more to control the game and hinted that better execution could have led to a win.
