Defenders of the Banc - The LAFC Podcast

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Wait, didn't we just do this? Just 48 hours after a 5-0 shellacking of Charlotte, LAFC was back at it again as Wayne Rooney and the club from our nation's capital, DC United, took the 300-mile journey West to the Banc. While this wouldn't end 5-0, 3 points is 3 points, and LAFC runs their winning streak to 7 with a hard-fought 1-0 victory on a strange Tuesday night.

The first half was a series of missed chances and solid runs ending in disappointing finishes for LAFC. DC may not have had many chances, but there were enough to keep you on your toes. But everything would change at about the hour mark, and the Black and Gold would find magic in Mahala once more.

After picking up his first yellow of the match just 10 minutes earlier, DC's Steven Birnbaum collected a second at the 60-minute mark, resulting in some quality time with Team Security Paul as he was escorted off the pitch.  Two minutes later, Mahala would sub in for Brian Rodriguez, injecting LAFC with a much-needed spark. Five minutes into his shift, Mahala would find paydirt, as passes from Carlos and Chicho found their mark for an easy tap-in for Opoku. LAFC would go up 1-0, and that would be all Maxime Crepeau and co. would need.  Though it was much closer than predicted. LAFC walks out with all 3 points and their sights still set on breaking records and setting standards.

Also on this episode, Jamie Jarrin, Panda, and Nina all share the pitch pregame, keeper kits are here, Chiellini and Bale are out, and we look back at a moment in LAFC history that may have set the bar unrealistically high for a young Brian Rodriguez. Enjoy Episode 209, and stay tuned for a fantastic interview with DJ Flict on Episode 210!

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Back at the Banc for the final time on a Saturday night until playoffs, LAFC looked to make a statement. It's safe to say that they did, hanging a 5-spot on Charlotte as they embark on 3 matches in 8 days! Here on Episode 208, we cover all 5 goals, the birth of Filly, and so much more!

While the first half was a little sluggish, LAFC had quality set pieces while looking for a way through Charlotte's block of 9 in the back. Brian Rodriguez played well, Eddie Segura got the start, and both Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini got some rest. And then... the second half started. 

Four minutes in, Muri got on the end of a beautiful ball from Chiqui to begin the spiral. 10 minutes later, Cifu puts home a rebound on a WIDE open net after another solid set piece. The big guns got into the act next, with both Carlos Vela and Chicho Arango scoring just 3 minutes apart, and just when you thought it was safe, LAFC gets some help from Charlotte. Maxime Crepeau plays a beautiful long ball to Mahala, who then springs Latif with a great pass. His initial shot was saved by Kahlina, but Anton Walkes, Charlotte defender, walked the ball right into the back of the net off his own chest. 5-0 LAFC. 

Also on this episode, we wish happy birthday to Fiily, Sujin, Connor, Magic, Chiellini, Kovar, and even Rodrigo Pacheco! Both Pablo Escobar AND Christian Bale make appearances as the Defenders "switch the flip" several times. We'll see you in 48 hours for 209! 

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LAFC takes the show on the road as the Black and Gold take on Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto. Filly and Scarf cover everything that went down in Salt Lake and so much more here on Episode 207!

As LAFC heads to the All-Star break, there was one more foe to vanquish before a little break, the cobalt-and-claret clad club from Salt Lake. On paper, it was a bit of a mismatch: No Damir Kreilach, no Bobby Wood, and no recently-acquired Danny Musovski, all out with injury. Recent acquisitions Bryan Oviedo and Braian Ojeda have not yet joined the squad, and the club just jettisoned David Ochoa to the nation’s capital. Meanwhile, Gareth Bale, Brian Rodriguez, Latif Blessing, Mamadou Fall, Ryan Hollingshead, and the two Sebastians, Mendez and Ibeagha, we all NOT starting for an uber-talented LAFC squad that is still waiting on the arrival of their newest shiny toy, designated player Denis Bouanga. Would the matchup play out as lopsided as it looked on paper? Yes.

LAFC wasted no time getting on the scoresheet as Chicho Arango puts away a Vela free kick with a stunning back-heel goal. RSL equalized just three minutes later off a goal from Cordova, but LAFC got right back out in front when Kellyn Acosta connected on a banger from outside the box. The effort by Mahala to keep that play alive allowed LAFC to enter the half on top.

RSL started out the second half on the front foot, pushing LAFC’s backline and controlling much of the possession. Not much got through, but RSL definitely pushed the pace out of the locker room. After a near miss in the 50’, when Ilie had to clear one off the back line, LAFC grabbed control of the game because of another great play by Mahala. After beating his man 1v1, a perfect pass across the mouth of the goal found an open Chicho for a 3-1 lead, giving Arango 11 on the season. Just when you thought you had seen everything, Italian superstar Giorgio Chiellini tried his hand(s) at volleyball in the 69th minute, earning himself a yellow card and a chat with the AVP. 

Just when you thought it was safe to grab a snack or a drink, Gareth Bale provides another moment of brilliance, running around 2 defenders on his way into the box and drilling one past Zac MacMath for the fourth goal of the match. The team really was the star; it was the team in Black and Gold. LAFC remain on their pace to break more records and win their first cup. 

Also on this episode, Scarf has a crazy idea: replace the three LAFC All-Stars with three different LAFC players! Filly has a little trouble with Franco Escobar’s first name while the boys both chat about the other leagues beginning their seasons. It’s a fun one here on 207!

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Set at the beautiful Sofi Stadium, LAFC and Club America put on a spectacular exhibition in front of almost 72,000. Scoreless after regulation, and despite the standout performance from John McCarthy, America takes the win on penalties. The 3252 was electric, providing all the fireworks our boys needed, as Captain Eddie Segura led the way. 

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LAFC rolls back into Banc of California Stadium for the first time in three weeks, and waiting for them at the gates are the reigning CONCACAF champs, the Seattle Sounders. It’s Episode 205, where Filly and Scarf break down all the fun that was LAFC’s 4th straight win. 

With kickoff set for 8:15, the stars were aligned for some serious “MLS After Dark” action. The game’s ominous start definitely qualified, as just 15 minutes in, Cristian Roldan plays through three LAFC defenders before crossing a ball into the box and off the foot of Jesus David Murillo for just our second own goal of the season. Down 1-0, and narrowly escaping going down two, LAFC would answer. A lightning strike by Mahala knotted the match at one in the 35th minute. Just 8 minutes later, Jose Cifuentes would deliver a perfect ball to Carlos Vela, and in Ciman-like fashion, the ball trickled through Stefan Frei’s legs to put the good guys up, 2-1. In the second half, Gareth Bale came on after about an hour, and that was just about all the excitement to write home about. LAFC takes down Seattle and solidifies their spot atop the Supporters Shield race. 

Also on this episode, Filly quotes Noah Webster while Scarf dreams of a Chiellini hug at center pitch. With two games in the next 7 days, including an exhibition against Club America at Sofi, it’s going to be another fun week for the Black and Gold, and for the Defenders! See you for 206!

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On Episode 204, we find the Black and Gold in Kansas City, at potential World Cup venue Children’s Mercy Park, set to take on Sporting KC. It’s a battle of worst versus first, as the only thing hot in Sporting’s world is the climate, and this one would play out exactly according to plan. 

It was another slow start for LAFC, dodging an early bullet from Erik Thommy in the 15th minute. Sporting had a bit of a moment themselves, needing Logan Ndenbe to save one off the line to keep us scoreless into the half. Would LAFC respond with their typical hot second half performance? Yes. 

LAFC started out hot, manufacturing several opportunities just 5 minutes in. The momentum, however, seemed to really shift in the 50th minute, as Tim Melia, SKC’s stalwart keeper since 2015, grabbed the back of his hamstring as he raced back to cover goal. He knew it wasn’t great almost immediately, and on came seldom-used backup John Pulskamp. It took LAFC just minutes to strike, as Carlos Vela found Mahala who found Chicho for a beautiful ticky-taki goal. Chicho scores for LAFC yet again, and there aren’t many hotter players in all of MLS than LAFC’s number 9. LAFC would score a second goal in the 83rd minute, and it’s fair to say this one was felt around the world. 

Chicho found a streaking Gareth Bale, who had checked in about 18 minutes earlier, and, in yet another #PinchMeMoment, the Welsh superstar opened his LAFC account by slipping one past the backup Pulskamp. Despite 10 minutes of stoppage time and near-100 degree weather, LAFC sees this one out 2-0 to remain “Best in the West and Best in MLS.”

Also on this episode, shenanigans. Imagine that. Filly unknowingly challenges Eric “Badlands” Booker to a chugging contest with his New York accent in full effect. Filly learns what hamentashen are. Filly also rants not once, but twice, thanks to technical difficulties during today’s match. Scarf was also part of the podcast.

In honor of our 15th goal scorer, Gareth Bale, the Defenders have a neat idea: Please go to the link in our Instagram bio, and if you can, donate $15 to the fundraising effort for the Mauricio Fascio Fustal Field in Southeast LA. We can’t think of a better reason to donate, or a better cause to contribute to. We’ll see you next weekend for Episode 205.  

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Come one, come all, to Episode 203 of "The Most LAFC Podcast on Earth," Defenders of the Banc! On most nights, our first match in Nashville, and certainly our first meeting against Walker Zimmerman since we traded him to Nashville in 2020, would take center stage. But this was not most nights, LAFC faithful. 

Ever since the signings of Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini, LAFC supporters wondered when and where they would their debut, and all signs pointed to Nashville. Sure enough, announced in the 18 was the Welsh superstar, Bale, and starting next to Jesus David Murillo on the back line was Chiellini. Tonight would be another in what has been a long line of “pinch me moments” this season for the Black and Gold. 

LAFC struck first, off the foot of, who else, Chicho Arango. The play began with a long pass from Chiellini to Vela, who back-heeled it to Hollingshead. Ryan’s pass crosses the goal box to Chicho, who slots it home from a tough angle to give LAFC the 1-0 lead. All was fine until a silly foul by Ilie in the box on C.J. Sapong. After VAR confirmed the foul, the dangerous Hany Mukhtar stepped up to the spot and buried it, knotting the match at 1 heading into halftime. 

The second stanza has belonged to LAFC all season, and this match would be no different. Just a minute into the half, Carlos Vela drops an absolute DIME to Hollingshead, whose extraordinary effort literally puts the ball on frame. It caroms off the post to Cifu, and Jose hammers it home for his 6th of the year to give LAFC the lead for good, 2-1. 

Among the other highlights of the second half: Chiellini comes off at the hour mark for Eddie Segura, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi makes his return to the pitch for Mahala in the 84th, and OMG Gareth Bale makes his LAFC debut! In the 72nd minute, Chicho gives way to Bale, and all of GEODIS Park, not just the LAFC supporters, rose in applause and admiration. Gareth Bale is officially Black and Gold!

The boys are definitely up to their usual knuckleheadedness on 203: We do a deep dive on the Butt family and H-E-B (not in Family Guy), explore Adrian Fein’s time at Hamburger (also not in Family Guy), chat about Peterhead in Scotland (still not in Family Guy), and recount the inspiration for “Filly and the Scarf” (which IS in Family Guy!). Wow. We highlight the All Stars and TOTW-ers, the Las Vegas Lights, Angel City, and even Red Card Roger! We loved making 203, and we hope you’ll join us soon for Episode 204!

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Derby Day is upon us once again, this time in the heart of Los Angeles. The Clasico Angelino comes to the Banc for the first time in 2022, and LAFC gets set to take on Carson. It’s Episode 202 of Defenders of the Banc, and Gareth Bale is in the building!

Both sides started out a little tense, with the North End and the entire 22,000 at the Banc in rare form. This was definitely the loudest the Banc has been since at least 2019, if not ever. 

Just 17 minutes into the match, Kellyn Acosta shows why he is so incredibly valuable to LAFC, and to the USMNT, as he places a corner kick perfectly on the head of Cifu for the first goal of the match! LAFC is up 1-0, and hangs on for what can best be described as a nervy 1-0 lead into the half

The second half was a very different story. Both sides opening up a bit, and it’s Carson to take the first advantage. Efrain Alvarez spots Raveloson who plays it through to Samuel Grandsir for his first goal of the season, and just like that, all the hard work is laid to waste. It’s level again. 

But LAFC would respond in kind, with two lightning strikes in the span of three minutes. In the 70th, Carlos Vela puts all kinds of pace on a shot from just outside the box, and Cifu is there to redirect it with his head for a good old-fashioned brace! Two minutes later, Chicho takes a wonderful pass from the Captain, Carlos Vela, and slots it to the left of Jonathan Bond for a quick 3-1 lead. What a recovery!

Though Carson would pull one more back after the 81st, and wouldn’t really relent their pressure over the final 15-20 minutes or so, these are the games that forge potential champions. These are the games that you build on to prove that it’s your time to be on top of the mountain. And in this particular game, it was LAFC going home with all three points!  

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As we embark on the third century of episodes here at Defenders of the Banc, LAFC heads north of the border to take on Vancouver at BC Place, a stadium that has been more of a house of horrors for LAFC of late. Aren't Canadians supposed to be polite?

This match would see LAFC start quite the interesting lineup. With Carson looming on the horizon, LAFC was... cautious. No Chiqui Palacios, Brian Rodriguez, or Carlos Vela, the latter two because of injury and the former because of the chance of picking up a yellow, which would force him to sit out the next match. Only 6 on the bench, because, in Coach Dolo's words, "Everyone who was healthy was there." A 3-5-2 lineup, a formation that hasn't brought much success to the Black and Gold of late. And of course, turf. Awful, awful turf. 

On the bright side, Latif and Mamadou were back in the starting lineup! LAFC was doing everything they could to get out healthy and ready to take on Carson in 6 days. The only thing they didn't take back home with them was a point.

Let's be real: Neither side really created many chances of note. Latif banged one off the crossbar in the 12th minute for the best chance for either side in the first half. Aside from Lucas Cavallini doing all he could to get red-carded in the first half, that's pretty much it. 

The second half seemed to be much of the same story, until about the 80th minute, when Vancouver took it up a notch and forced LAFC to play defensively in a formation they didn't love to be in. Just before the 90-minute mark, it's Cubas slotting one home to the right of a diving Crepeau after LAFC biffed several attempts to clear, and just like that, it's more horror at BC Place. LAFC falls 1-0.

Also on this episode, we really enjoy our time at King of Wings in Lawndale! Filly and Scarf talk spicy food and wearing MLS kits to NWSL matches. It might not have been the best result, but at least it's a fun episode of Defenders! See you at the Banc for the Derby!

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It's Episode 200! 200 episodes of THE Most LAFC Podcast on Earth! 200 episodes of Filly, Scarf, and all the LAFC craziness you could ever want. 200. Wow. What a number. And it would mean nothing without YOU, the Millions... there to support us along the way. We're hoping Episode 200 fits like your favorite baseball glove or t-shirt: Comfy in all the right places but still giving you the consistency and support you need when it counts! 

Here on 200, we trounce Dallas, 3-1, to bring us to the halfway point of the 2022 season. Moose gets the party started off an absolutely beautiful through ball from Cifu. That's right! LAFC scored first! But... about 15 minutes later, the current USMNT darling, Jesus Ferreira, equalized off a beautiful free kick goal that kissed the underside of the crossbar as it went in. Jesus Ferreira looked more like he was warming up for the All Star Game Skills Competition than anything else. What a goal. 

Though we would head to the half level, Dolo did what Dolo does best, halftime adjustments. LAFC strings four passes together as Vela finds Chicho for the second match in a row to lead 2-1, and LAFC would never look back. A solid effort defensively from Dallas was outdone by an absolute lightning bolt of a shot from Mahala in the 85 to salt it away, and LAFC heads to the halfway point of the MLS season on top of the world. 

Also on 200, Chiellini ruins a suit, Eddie's back, and Filly and Scarf reminisce about the first 200 episodes. This truly has been a wonderful journey, and we would be nothing without the support from all of you! Here's to the next 200!

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