Defenders of the Banc - The LAFC Podcast

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LAFC is (finally) back on the winning side of things, and (finally) back atop the Western Conference standings after our 2-1 comeback win in Kansas City!

After going down early from yet another PK, this time at the foot of Alan Pulido, Dolo pushed all the right buttons at the half, bringing on Vela, Murillo, and Hollingshead. A quick score to start the second half from Denil Maldonado allowed him to atone for his earlier blunder. A late score from the captain completed the comeback and for the first time in far too long, LAFC gets the W and the 3 points. 

Which players made their first LAFC starts in this match? Which player made his LAFC debut? And what the heck is Scarf talking about a Tijuana bathroom for? These questions and more can only be answered by listening to Episode 259 of Defenders of the Banc! Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

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Tired and weary from road trips, injuries, international breaks, and the most impacted schedule this side of Europe, our boys return home to face a familiar foe, the Houston Dynamo, who blew us out of Texas with their 4-0 win. Would tonight be different? Only a little. 

We give up another goal within the first 30', as Micael is able to absolutely hammer one home off a rebound from a magnificent save from J-Mac. LAFC looks to answer for the remainder of the half, but nothing comes of it. In fact, our only shot on target occurred in Stoppage time right before the halftime whistle. 

With little to show offensively, Mahaa's back-breaking red just before the 80' all but put the match out of reach. The slide continues, and LAFC falls, 1-0.

Also on this episode: The boys put their faces near three prestigious trophies at once and take pictures next to the Bayern bear, Bernie! Hopefully you enjoy this episode more than the match...

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Well... that was rough. LAFC went deep into the heart of Texas and came back far worse for wear. The Houston Dynamo, behind Corey Baird and Franco Escobar (ugh), take LAFC behind the woodshed in a 4-0 drubbing in what might be the worst loss of the Dolo Era. Filly and Scarf are there for you, however, going LIVE on YouTube to walk through the fire. It's Episode 257, and in Houston, we had a problem!

Down 1-0 at the half, the Hollingshead House of Horrors continued in the second frame as he was first called for a soft penalty followed then by an awful turnover, both of which led to goals. The nightcap was a goal-of-the-week candidate by our former fullback, Franco Escobar, to seal the deal, 4-0. It. Was. Awful. 

Also on this episode, we respond to dozens of comments and questions in the chat! If you're not watching this on YouTube, you're missing out! Filly rants (live!), Scarfstradamus predicts a debut, and Hello Kitty makes an appearance or two. We certainly hope the episode was better than the match!

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Fresh off their CCL Final defeat at the hands (feet?) of Leon, LAFC found themselves back in the saddle at BMO, taking on Eastern Conference foe Atlanta United. How would LAFC respond? Well...

LAFC got off to a bit of a slow start, as Atlanta took it to the defending champs for the first 15-18 minutes of the match. But as the match wore on, it became clear that LAFC was back on the attack and that their formidable offense was clicking once again. There was only one problem: Brad Guzan. A Herculean effort by Guzan coupled with a baffling pair of misses by Carlos Vela from the penalty spot left the home fans wanting as LAFC battled to a 0-0 draw. 

Also on this episode, say it with us: Lionel Messi is coming to MLS. Lionel-freaking-Messi is coming to MLS. And that wasn't even our "Wait, What?!" moment of the pod! Chicho heads to RSL, Mahala will play for his national team, and Olly goes on walkabout! Enjoy 256, because the next two will both be about... Houston.

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Episode 255 may be the toughest one yet here on Defenders of the Banc. No match was more important in our club's history than this second leg of the 2023 CCL Final against Leon. We had them at home, at BMO, at a place we've staunchly defended for 6 years. We needed just one goal to level things and take control of the series. And we had Denis Bouanga, Carlos Vela, a healthy Kellyn Acosta, an un-suspended Jesus Murillo, and... wait... is that Giorgio Chiellini?! It is!

However, despite the talent, the desire, and maybe the best support The 3252 have ever provided, we didn't have the goals. LAFC failed to find the back of the net in leg 2, falling 1-0 and 3-1 on aggregate. Club Leon is the 2023 CCL Champions. 

On this episode, we try to help you navigate through the hurt and the grief. We ask questions of Steve and Cifu, throw praise at McCarthy and Denis, and wonder what could have been. Walk with us on the journey that is Episode 255, and know that the next one is just around the corner!

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Just when we thought LAFC couldn't possibly play any worse, Denis Bouanga went and did something like that... and TOTALLY REDEEMED THEMSELVES! 

After an absolute stinker of a performance for the first 95+ minutes of the first leg of the CCL final against Leon, a stunner at the death for Denis Bouanga and LAFC makes the 2-1 loss seem a little less awful, and the patch to CCL victory a whole lot less daunting! It was a beautiful sequence, as Denil Maldonado, Carlos Vela, Sergi Palencia, the heel of Mati Bogusz, and then the golden boot of Denis Bouanga finally broke through in Mexico!

Let's not mince words. If not for the heroic effort of John McCarthy, LAFC could have very easily given up four or five goals tonight. But we didn't! And now the scene shifts to the friendly confines of BMO Stadium, a house of horrors for Leon (see: 2020). June 4, we have everything to play for! 

Also on Episode 254, Scarf apologizes for his hubris, Filly has Scarf on the brain, and Denis earns a free beer courtesy of a Leon supporter. It wasn't at all pretty, or even that much fun to watch, but we made it out with our CCL title dreams intact!

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It's almost time for the CONCACAF Champions League Final, with a berth in the Club World Cup at stake! With LAFC on the precipice of writing yet another incredible chapter in their short but already storied history, it's time for the LAFC #PodFam to unite and record our CCL Final Preview SUPERPOD!

On this very, very special episode, "The Scarf" J.R. Lebert hosts as the voices on many of your favorite LAFC podcasts chat about all things LAFC, Leon, CCL, and much more! Josef Zacher and Araceli Villanueva (Heart of LAFC), Jonathan Reimer (Shoulder 2 Shoulder), Erik Hultstrom (Voices of the Black and Gold), Luke Klipp (LGBT FC), Travis Helwig (Happy Foot Sad Foot), and Christian "Filly" Filimon (Defenders of the Banc) form a round table not seen since the days of King Arthur!

Watch and listen as the panel dreams of a date with Manchester City (or Inter Milan), breaks down Leon's performance over the last calendar year, and regales the tales of Away Days spent in exotic locales like Costa Rica or... Vancouver. We even go around the panel debating who should play in our new game: Start or Sit! 

Which player outside the XI will have the most impact in the final? How many goals will Denis Bouanga have? Will either Jesus Murillo or Giorgio Chiellini be healthy enough to play? And how many Hello Kittys will make an appearance on the Superpod?!? 

You'll have your answers to all these questions and more as we await the two-legged final vs. Leon! Enjoy the Superpod!

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Welcome to Episode 252 of Defenders of the Banc! Normally, this space is reserved for some witty commentary and a recap of the episode. But today, in its place, we choose to use this as an appreciation post to the young kids who put forth such a valiant effort against Carson in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Yes, they fell, 2-0. But there would be nothing to hang their heads about! So, instead of a write-up, here are the names and ages of many of the players who took the pitch for LAFC tonight: 

Javen Romero and Diego Rosales, 17. Erik Duenas and Matheus Maia, 18. Nathan Ordaz, Christian Torres, Armando Avila, Christopher Jaime, and Yekeson Subah, all 19. Stipe Biuk and Julian Gaines, 20. Mahala and Mati Bogusz, 21.

The future is almost here, and it's looking very, very bright indeed! 

Our next episode will certainly be a treat! We are helping to gather the heads of the LAFC #PodFam Families for a CCL Final Superpod, to be recorded Sunday, May 28. No decision on whether it will be LIVE or not, but it will most certainly be fun! Enjoy 252!

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Fresh off the milestone of hitting 250 episodes, the boys are right back at it. On Episode 251, we relive recent history, but we switch roles! Two weeks ago, a late penalty doomed LAFC, 2-1, against San Jose. Tonight, a late penalty doomed San Jose, 2-1! It's revenge szn!

The match could not have started any better, but Stipe Biuk opening his account with LAFC just 2:17 into the match. That goal would hold up through the first half, as LAFC carried the lead into the locker room. Just 6 minutes into half number two, however, Miguel Trauco caught everyone napping with a combination shot-cross that knuckled its way into the back of the net and leveled the match at 1. 

Fast forward to deep within second-half stoppage: LAFC gets the benefit of VAR, and a handball by Tanner Beason at the top of the box gifts our captain, Carlos Vela, a chance at the spot. He drives home the winner, and just like that, LAFC is at the top of the table in the West. 

Also on this episode, we celebrate the birth of The 3252! It seems like only yesterday. An old friend becomes a frienemy in San Diego, Cifuentes transfer rumors heat up, and, apparently, our Pride hat is just too much for someone to handle. Enjoy 251, because 252 is coming hot on it's heels!

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It's a milestone episode here at Defenders, as Filly, Scarf, and the MILLIONS celebrate making it one-quarter of the way to 1000 episodes! So why aren't the boys more jovial for Episode 250? When you play one of the worst clubs in all the league to a draw, at home, after you had the lead... You'll have to excuse us for not breaking out the party hats. 

All the scoring was done in the first 20 minutes, as Denis Bouanga hits double digits just mere moments before Johnny Russell pulls one right back. From there on out, the game vacillated between boring, frustrating, and the occasional exciting moment for the Black and Gold. LAFC had a late goal by Ryan Hollingshead called back on a questionable offside while Eldin Jakupovic saves our bacon in stoppage time. All in all, a frustrating draw, 1-1, but... still not a loss. 

Also on this episode, we take a moment to honor and thank Brandon Tsay, Nathan Ordaz makes his MLS debut, and the Defenders take a quick look back on the over 260 hours of content they've created thus far. Enjoy 250, because 251 is coming right around the corner!

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