LAFC is finally back at the Cathedral of the Black and Gold, 24 days since our last match at home, ready to take on Real Salt Lake for the second time in 14 days. It would be yet another win for us over Salt Lake, but this one felt much more like the LAFC of old, and you can hear all about it here on Episode 155 of Defenders of the Banc!LAFC celebrated Pride Night in wonderful fashion, with LAFC coming out on the front foot in a hurry. 3 saves and a near miss in the first 5 minutes would be a harbinger of things to come, as a beautiful give and go from Diego Rossi to Jose Cifuentes and back to Rossi for the opener in the 10th minute! LAFC could have been up by at least two or three, but we will take the early lead, 1-0, every single time. In typical LAFC fashion, however, they give up the equalizer not long after. RSL beats the Black and Gold on the counter, with perfect passing (and a little luck) from Damir Kreilach to Everton Luiz to Aaron Herrera, and just like that, we are level. Scarf almost got the own goal that he predicted, Carlos banged one off the post, and Cifu somehow misses a wide open net after Kim Moon-Hwan’s moment of sheer brilliance, and LAFC enters the half tied at one. David Ochoa was special, but LAFC needed to find the winner. In the second half, RSL would get their first, and only, real opportunity of the half in the opening minute. It came from Kreilach, of course, but Romero, with a little help from Farfan and Murillo, was up for the task. Several near misses and another nice save from Ochoa brings us to the 58th minute, where the birthday boy, Raheem Edwards earns LAFC a present of their own, a PK off a handball from a blistering shot inside the box. However, it still wasn’t meant to be (yet!), as Ochoa dove to his left to stop a relatively innocuous attempt by Carlos Vela. Still level. Several subs for both sides, including the return of Chiqui Palacios in the 75th minute, take us to the 78th minute. It’s world-class finding world-class, as Kim Moon-Hwan finds Carlos Vela with an absolute pinpoint cross from at least 30 yards away. Despite Ochoa cutting off seemingly every angle, the captain shoots a laser beam over the top of Ochoa’s head and into the back of the net! Just like that, LAFC is in line for 3 points and their first three-match win streak since 2019. LAFC, despite David Ochoa’s best efforts, wins 2-1 in a match that could have just as easily been 6-1 or 7-1. It was a complete effort for LAFC. Also on this episode, we chat Gold Cup results for both the US and El Tri as we welcome back Brian Rodriguez into the 18. D9U releases a shoe, Tigers collab on a beer, Filly tees up Scarf perfectly as he works the GLA into the pod not once but twice (!), Dio is still without a club, and Tony Leone nets his first professional goal. It’s Scarf who rants on this episode after Filly runs down the upcoming schedule. Truly, everything is possible here on Defenders of the Banc! You’ll be hearing a lot of us over the course of the next few weeks, with three more matches in 10 days. And it will also be right here on Defenders of the Banc where you can hear recaps, breakdowns, and banter the night after every episode of Season 2 of Ted Lasso, starting July 23 on Apple TV! Lots of fun and lots more to come, but until then, enjoy Episode 155!