Los Angeles FC and Los Angeles Galaxy each defeated the other at home this season in league play, with LAFC winning, 3-2, at Banc of California Stadium on July 8 after the Galaxy won, 2-1, at Dignity Health Sports Park on April 9. There has only been one road win in the 15 non-neutral site games between the rivals in all competitions, a 2-0 Galaxy win at Banc of California Stadium in August 2020.
This will be the second postseason edition of El Trafico, with the first going to LAFC, 5-3, in the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals. The eight goals scored in that game equaled the most scored in a postseason match in MLS history (Crew 5-3 MetroStars in leg 1 of the 1998 East Semis). Only three LAFC players that appeared in that match are still on the club (E. Segura, L. Blessing, C. Vela) whiles none of the 14 players that appeared for the Galaxy on that day are still with the club.
After a seven-match winning streak in July-August, Los Angeles FC collected just 10 points (W3 L1 D5) in its final nine games of the season as 17 teams took more points than the Supporter’s Shield winners from mid-August through the end of the season. That run ended with a 1-0 defeat to Nashville on the final day of the season, ending a nine-match home winning streak and a 41-game home scoring streak, the second-longest run of a regular season home games with a goal in MLS history (D.C. – 64 straight from 1996 – 99).
The Galaxy’s 1-0 win over Nashville in the first round on Saturday continued their great home postseason record as they’ve won 27 of their last 31 home playoff games dating back to 1999. The road has been less friendly to LA, as they have managed just one win in their last eight away playoff matches (D1 L6) dating back to the 2012 Western Conference Final.
No player has scored more goals against a single opponent than Carlos Vela against the Galaxy (10, tied with Raul Ruidiaz vs. Portland) since LAFC joined MLS in 2018. Vela is yet to score in three matches against the Galaxy in all competitions in 2022, however, after failing to find the net just once in his first eight El Traficos. Vela has managed just one shot on target in the three games in 2022.
Julian Araujo headed in the Galaxy’s winning goal against Nashville on Saturday, his first MLS goal since October 2020. It was also the Galaxy’s first headed goal since Rayan Raveloson scored with his head against LAFC in the July 8 edition of the El Trafico, as none of the Galaxy’s previous 32 league goals were headers. In fact, two of the Galaxy’s three regular season headed goals came against LAFC as Chicharito also scored on a header in the victory on April 9.
