LAFC scores twice in the first half and adds a third goal in the second half for a 3-0 victory as the teams play their first game following the World Cup break in front of a sellout crowd in Carson.
LAFC midfielder Mark Delgado, center, celebrates with teammates after he scored a goal during the first half of their MLS match against the Galaxy on Friday, July 17, 2026, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.
CARSON — The Galaxy resumed their regular season on Friday and probably wanted to forget about it by halftime. Coming out of the World Cup break, MLS put all eyes on the first El Trafico meeting between the Galaxy and Los Angeles Football Club, scheduling it as the first game for both teams after the league’s nearly seven-week break.
LAFC scored twice in the first half and Son Heung-Min added to the tally in the second half, leading to a 3-0 win for the Black and Gold in front of a sellout crowd of 24,325 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The win snapped a three-game winless streak in the series for LAFC. LAFC went into the World Cup break in fifth place in the Western Conference.
The Galaxy made it in just inside the playoff line at ninth place. Last season was just the second time that the rivals only met twice in a calendar year and it was also the first that neither team won a game in the annual series. LAFC opened the scoring in the 26th minute as Mark Delgado scored against his former team.
Delgado, who played for the Galaxy from 2022-2024, slammed home the rebound off of his initial shot that hit Galaxy defender Jacob Glesnes. Unfortunately for the Galaxy, they couldn’t make it to halftime trailing just 1-0. Denis Bouanga drew a penalty and converted the opportunity to give the visitors a 2-0 halftime lead. Last season, when the Galaxy saw a late deficit against LAFC, they found a way to rally for a draw.
In the home game last May, Marco Reus scored a pair, including a free kick in the 87th minute and the game ended in a 2-2 draw. In the second meeting, in July, the Galaxy rallied from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to secure a 3-3 draw. Gabriel Pec and Maya Yoshida helped the Galaxy pick up a point in that one.
Son Heung-Min, who had been scoreless in MLS play this season, finally got on the board with his goal in the 57th minute.
“There’s certain games that you always have circled on your calendar when you come into a season and schedule,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said Wednesday. “And when those games come off of long breaks. “I just feel like they give the break, a little more intensity, just a little more purpose because it’s not, you know, it’s not a slow build in.
Like, it’s going to be on right from the start and the fans are gonna expect certain intensity and fire from both sides. ” LAFC caught the Galaxy in all-time El Trafico wins with Friday’s victory. Entering the game, the teams had met 26 times. The Galaxy had 10 wins and LAFC had nine and both teams had seven draws.
The Galaxy had scored 57 goals, combined to 56 for LAFC.
“If you have to choose a game to get started again, it’s this game,” LAFC coach Marc Dos Santos said Wednesday. “LAFC-L.A. Galaxy is not another game. It’s not a game that defines your season, but for us we say clearly it’s not just another game.
It’s a big game. ”The teams will meet again Oct. 25 at BMO Stadium. The Galaxy have a quick turnaround, hosting St. Louis CITY SC on Wednesday before travel north to take on the San Jose Earthquakes next Saturday.
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