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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!