LOS ANGELES – A Hollywood screenwriter couldn’t have dreamed up MLS Cup 2022 any better.
LAFC are top of the league, emerging as first-time champions from Saturday’s epic championship match at Banc of California Stadium, beating the Philadelphia Union in penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw for the ages – and also making the hosts the first team to complete a Cup-Supporters’ Shield double since Toronto FC in 2017.
Gareth Bale’s thunderous 128th-minute equalizing header sent the game into penalty kicks, showing exactly why the Black & Gold signed the superstar forward this summer as he left Real Madrid. That canceled out a possible man-of-the-match performance from Philly center back Jack Elliott, whose first equalizer booked extra frames, and then his go-ahead 124th-minute strike pushed the Union on the verge of victory.
But Bale came up huge with the final whistle nearing, and back-up goalkeeper John McCarthy took the hero’s cape in the PK shootout by saving two Union efforts – from Jose Martinez and Kai Wagner – after Daniel Gazdag missed the Eastern Conference champions’ first attempt.
LAFC first got scores from Denis Bouanga and Ryan Hollingshead in PKs, then Ilie Sanchez’s game-winner from the spot sealed a 3-0 advantage for the Black & Gold from 12 yards out. From there, celebrations ensued for the Western Conference champions before their 3252 supporters' section – all in a final that pitted the league’s top two teams against each other for the first time since 2003.
But the storyline, among many, might be McCarthy. He was subbed on in the 117th minute after LAFC’s starting goalkeeper, Maxime Crepeau was shown a red card when a Video Review decision reduced the hosts to 10 men. Crepeau also got hurt on the play, suffering a serious-looking leg injury after colliding with Philly forward Cory Burke following an under-hit back-pass; referee Ismail Elfath originally brandished a yellow card that was later upgraded.
All that drama was just during extra time and PKs, as the game reached a new level as it reached each passing period. LAFC midfielder Kellyn Acosta (deflected free kick) and defender Jesus Murillo (corner-kick header) each scored during regulation time, and the Union equalized each time via Gazdag (near-range shot) and Elliott (free-kick header) to make it 2-2.
From there, the Tinseltown effect took over – Elliott’s almost-winner, Bale’s towering header and McCarthy’s PK heroics – to cap an MLS Cup final that can only be called legendary.
Goals
28' - LAFC - Kellyn Acosta
59' - PHI - Daniel Gazdag
83' - LAFC - Jesus Murillo
85' - PHI - Jack Elliott
120'+4' - PIH - Jack Elliott
120'+8' - LAFC - Gareth Bale
Next Up
LAFC: End of 2022 season
PHI: End of 2022 season
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