POPULARITY
Craig is joined by Ross and Tommy to discuss all of Rangers' latest transfer business as Vaclav Cerny arrives at the club on a season-long loan deal from Wolfsburg. They discuss departures for Connor Goldson, Sam Lammers, Jose Cifuentes and Ianis Hagi and Rangers' rumoured incomings including Joan Jordan from Sevilla and Hannibal Mejbri from Manchester United. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ross is joined by Andrew and Tommy to discuss all the latest in Rangers' transfer dealings this January window including the club being keen on a move for Lens winger Oscar Cortes and look back at some of the talking points from Rangers' 1-0 win over St Mirren. They discuss various transfers for Óscar Cortés, Jose Cifuentes, Ridvan Yilmaz & Jefte, whether Cyriel Dessers can be Rangers long term striker, the form of John Lundstram and the gritty performance from Philippe Clement's Rangers side yesterday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Kyle is joined by Andy & Kyran to discuss a huge week for Rangers as they prepare to face Real Betis in the Europa League and they give their view on whether Rangers should prioritise Viaplay Cup success over the Europa League. They also discuss Danilo being apparently ruled out for four months, Rangers being linked with Lawrence Shankland & Connor Barron, Fashion Sakala's exit from Rangers, the potential return of Alfredo Morelos, Jose Cifuentes' red card appeal being rejected and preview Rangers' game in Seville vs Real Betis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Kyle is joined by Ross to give their immediate reaction to Rangers' 3-1 win over Dundee at Ibrox. They discuss goals for Cyriel Dessers, James Tavernier and Abdallah Sima. They also give their verdict on the Jose Cifuentes red card and praise the desire and determination in Rangers' performance in the second half to secure the three points. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Rangers Rabble Patreon - Rangers Rabble Patreon - https://patreon.com/rangersrabble?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link In the last hour or so Rangers confirmed the signing of Ecuadorian, Jose Cifuentes. Martin and Co react to the news and discuss everything and anything Rangers. Twitter - @rangersrabble Youtube - youtube.com/therangersrabble Instagram - @rangersrabble Facebook - facebook.com/rabblerangers Tik Tok - @rangers_Rabble #Rangers #Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Marvin Bartley and Simon Donnelly join Gordon Duncan on tonight's Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, as we look back on Celtic's 3-2 win in last night's James Forrest Testimonial match against Athletic Club, as well as reports that Rangers target Jose Cifuentes is close to signing.
Colin kicks off the week with updates on Jose Cifuentes pre-contract agreement, the imminent arrival of Danilo and Rachel Rowe signed for the women. We also talk through Michael Beale's comments from the weekend. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-gallant-few. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
LAFC headed back to BMO to take on St. Louis City SC for the very first time in club history. Would LAFC continue their dominance over expansion clubs, or would the top club in the West come into our house and take all three points?The first half happened. We promise. In order for the second half to be played, there has to be one half before, and there was. However, very, very little happened. About an hour in, Stipe Biuk came on to replace Mati Bogusz, and that's where the fireworks began! After several good opportunities from Biuk, Jose Cifuentes dropped a perfect dime to Carlos Vela and that sweet, goal-scoring left foot of his put the home side up 1-0. The goal would prove historic, as that would be LAFC's 350th MLS regular season goal in just 180 games, eclipsing the record held by DC United with 4 matches to spare. Ten minutes later, a perfect buildup involving no less than a half-dozen LAFC players culminates with Stipe's third goal of the year. As if the rout wasn't already on, Nathan Ordaz found a streaking Cifu for the third goal of the match, and for the first time in a while, it's FREE Baskin Robbins for all!Also on this episode, Filly impersonates Isaac Hayes, Scarf falls in love with a scarf, and Olly goes on flyabout. Happy birthday, Chiqui Palacios, and we hope you enjoy Episode 266!
Craig, JB and debutant John are on The Sunday Session to discuss the newest recruit as Rangers sign Cyriel Dessers and a reported fee being agreed for LAFC's Jose Cifuentes. Midfielder Glen Kamara has been reported to be interesting Turkish side Besiktas with the team giving their thoughts on whether the bid is good enough to accept. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Kyle, David & Ross are on The Warmup to discuss the Rangers squad returning for preseason and Jack Butland's comments at the Rangers Training Centre media day. Butland details why he chose Rangers over Manchester United and looking to follow in Andy Goram and Allan Mcgregor's footsteps. The team also discuss James Tavernier and Scott Wright being linked with moves to the Saudi Pro League & the delay in the Jose Cifuentes deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It was a banner day for MLS, putting two of the marquee franchises in the league on display in front of over 82,000 in Pasadena. It was a banner day for Carson, as they dredged up the ghosts of seasons past to revel in what once was at their old stomping grounds. It was a banner day for The 3252, as their performance amongst an MLS-record attendance crowd was something every single supporter of LAFC should be proud of. But as you will hear here on Episode 263, unfortunately, it was not a banner day for the Black and Gold on the pitch, as we fell to Carson, 2-1, behind goals from Boyd and Puig. Also on this episode, we learn a little about Twizzle, we pop our Rose Bowl Press Box cherry, and we (likely) say goodbye to Jose Cifuentes. The transfer window is open, everyone! For the next two weeks, it's silly season in the rumor mill, and we are all about it. But don't worry, we've also got three more matches in the span of just 11 days before our much-needed time off before Leagues Cup. Enjoy Episode 263!
Craig Dennett, Tommy and Jock are here on the Sunday Session to discuss the understanding Rangers are working on four new signings following the addition of Brighton forward Abdallah Sima on loan earlier in the week. The team talk about the imminent arrival of Cremonese forward Cyriel Dessers, the impending arrival of Jose Cifuentes from LAFC, reports Rangers are still in talks to sign Feyenoord forward Danilo and consider who they feel will be leaving Rangers this summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Craig, is joined by JB and Iain as the This Is Ibrox podcast returns from its summer break. They chat about Rangers four summer signings so far - Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland and Sam Lammers - while looking at Jose Cifuentes and Cyriel Dessers who are rumoured to be next through the door at Ibrox. They also give their thoughts on Rangers potential Champions League qualifying opponents and expectations for the season ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A pleasure to be joined by Scott McDermott from the Sunday Mail on the debut episode of the Transfer Show as we look at the big moves that have taken place so far this summer in Scottish Football. We chat about - Ange Postecoglou's departure and what Celtic do next - The latest on Rangers moves for Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers, Jose Cifuentes & Jonathan Panzo - The moves in the Premiership including Aberdeen, Hearts & Hibs - Championship, League One & League Two - Sam Kerr moving to Bayern Munich - EK, Tranent & Cowdenbeath busy in the Lowland League - The moves in the WOSFL Never miss a moment, podcast or article on SM Media as you can follow us below on all our platforms. Website - https://thesmmediaent.wordpress.com/ YouTube - https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCO40v_nSWgc6WjmzF4IR68g Twitter - https://twitter.com/SMMediaEnt?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SMMediaEnt/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/smmediaent/?hl=en iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sm-media/id1528862527 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1iPnMJSgUPj4f0U58DHI9J?si=iVlyktAZTlOcDLPBvbLhzQ SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/fD17rkT6o5NNVaPj7
Join Joshua, Derek and Stevie for Monday's morning briefing.
Join Joshua, Derek and Stevie for Monday's morning briefing.
Derek chats to Chris Saenz from the Shoulder 2 Shoulder LAFC Podcast to get the lowdown on heavily-linked Rangers target Jose Cifuentes.
Derek chats to Chris Saenz from the Shoulder 2 Shoulder LAFC Podcast to get the lowdown on heavily-linked Rangers target Jose Cifuentes.
A second podcast in a week!!!!!!! Joined by MLSsoccer dot com National Writer Charlie Boehm, one of the best in the business. He covers everything MLS, the national team and more.0:00 — Intro, I think Charlie could hand-write his features5:00 — Champions League draw, USMNT takeaways19:40 — Transfer news. Kai Wagner to Leeds United latest, Djordje Mihailovic to AZ Alkmaar, DeJuan Jones, Jose Cifuentes.35:30 — Next young MLS players likely to go to Europe? Paxten Aaronson, Jack McGlynn, Ismael Kone48:00 — Biggest MLS storylines to watch? Toronto frantically chasing the playoffs, LAFC onboarding all their new players Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Max + Vince Podcast returns after LAFC's busy stretch of three matches in eight days. Max and Vince start right into what happened against San Jose. With all the games piling up and the hot temperatures, Steve Cherundolo rotated his squad. Carlos Vela, Ilie Sanchez, Gareth Bale, and Jose Cifuentes all began the match on the bench. And despite a rough start, LAFC still had chances to get something from the match. Max and Vince break it all down for you before moving on to talk about the importance of the upcoming trip to Austin FC. Is this a preview of the Western Conference final? Surely, it has Supporters' Shield and playoff implications. After that, the guys welcome LAFC goalkeepers coach Oka Nikolov to the show. Oka was a stalwart with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga before coming to the states to play in MLS and the NASL. Max and Vince ask Oka about the evolution of goalkeeping and how he works with the LAFC keepers. They also get into what brought Oka to LA and how he works with the rest of the coaches on the staff. All that and more on a new episode of Inside LAFC: The Max + Vince Podcast - don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and tell a friend!
Episode 210 is upon us, and before we talk about the match against the Quakes, we have an announcement! Defenders of the Banc is proud to announce the podcast's first official sponsor: FLEX Power Tools. Yes, FLEX, the very same front-of-kit sponsor of our beloved Black and Gold! A huge thank you to everyone in the FLEX family: Joe, Katie, Brady, Vince, Taylor, Shane, and everyone involved in making this dream a reality.Meanwhile in San Jose, the Black and Gold take an… interesting lineup into PayPal Park to take on the Quakes. While Max and the back line were relatively normal, the midfield trio of Mendez-Acosta-Blessing and seeing Ryan Hollingshead's name next to Chicho and Mahala on the front line left both Filly and Scarf saying “Wait… what?!” (It's back!)LAFC would go down early on a Benji Kikanovic goal, set up by the theme for the match, an attack from the right by San Jose. After a couple of near misses by Jeremy Ebobisse and Chicho Arango, we head to half down, but not out, 1-0. Surprisingly, no halftime changes were made, but that wouldn't stop LAFC from leveling the match. After some much-needed heroics by Crepeau, it was time for more Mahala magic! A cheeky chip of Marcinkowski in the 54' was all LAFC needed to grab a point back on the road. Or at least we thought.After subbing in Carlos Vela, Jose Cifuentes, Ilie Sanchez, and Gareth Bale, the momentum immediately swung our way, but double yellows on Ilie and Kellyn, coupled with the wunderkind, Cade Cowell, entering the match, spelled trouble for the Black and Gold. In the 77', Cade Cowell fired a one-timer with authority to put the home side on top for good and send PayPal Park into a frenzy. San Jose had just won their MLS Cup. Ilie Sanchez all but sealed the victory for SJ, picking up his second yellow in just 15 minutes, assuring he will miss the match in Austin, but a game LAFC squad wouldn't relent. The front line of Bale, Chicho, and Vela were clicking as LAFC had a few chances to pull one back, but it was too little, too late, and just like that, the win streak was over. This episode definitely meanders through the first few bits! Will Cifu, Mamadou Fall, and/or Brian Rodriguez be on their way out? Are more players coming in? Why is Filly calling out Tony Robbins (again)? Did we really just talk about the return of Shaft Brewer, Jr. to American soccer? And did the boys really get to bring back “Name That Perez”?! What an episode!
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!
LAFC finally beat the LA Galaxy in a convincing 3-2 victory. Jose Cifuentes and Carlos Vela came up big for the black and gold. Also Gareth Bale was officially introduced.
The Black and Gold train rolls through Columbus, Ohio on our way to 8 matches in the month of May. Some called it a trap game. Some were concerned about our injuries, or our lack of depth. Some lamented the impacted schedule. And some who were there to see it likely doubted it would even happen in the first place. But the path to greatness is often littered with tiny but important steps, and LAFC took many in Ohio on the way to three points and our 8th win of the season. The Black and Gold dispatch the Black and Yellow, 2-0, after a lengthy lightning delay and a restart. On this episode we are joined by Jonathan Reimer, one-third of the Shoulder to Shoulder team. As part of a fundraiser to raise money for the Mauricio “Mo” Fascio Futsal Court in SELA, Jonathan is here to educate us on the three incredible expressions of tequila that are being sold as part of the fundraising effort. Check out flaskfinewines.com, or hit up Jonathan directly at @boozeology on the socials for more info!Columbus controlled much of the first half (and the game, for that matter), but several quality attempts were thwarted by The Wall, Maxime Crepeau. LAFC had a quality opportunity as well, but the Mamadou Fall header fell right to Eloy Room. The first half ended nil-nil. Coming off the bench at half, putting on their capes and tights, were Carlos Vela and Brian Rodriguez. After also inserting Cifu at the hour mark, all the major players were set for LAFC to get to doing what they do best, score. Because of the incredible pressure applied by Chicho Arango, Darlington Nagbe and the Crew coughed up the ball not once, but twice, leading to both Carlos Vela and Jose Cifuentes finding the back of the soggy net for LAFC. LAFC steals three points on the road and takes down the Crew, 2-0. Also on this episode, you're going to learn an awful lot about tequila. Jonathan really knows his craft, and it's definitely a fun learning process. We lament missing the match live while Scarf has trouble with the calendar and Filly's ADHD is in full effect. This one is a bit of a longer episode, but like the match in Columbus, we hope you'll agree, it's worth the wait! Enjoy Episode 195!
It's a new week. But the table remains the same in MLS. Thanks to a 2-0 victory at the Banc on Sunday night, LAFC sits atop the Western Conference with 22 points. Max and Vince take us through the win against Minnesota United. LAFC added to its league-leading tally of goals from substitutes as Ryan Hollingshead and Jose Cifuentes found the back of the net off the bench. The guys break down Minnesota's low block and conservative approach to the match. Will we see more teams try the same when they visit LA? After that, we look ahead to the Best in the West vs Best in the East clash between LAFC and the Philadelphia Union this Saturday. Vince gives a scouting report of what to expect from the Union and Max is back on the call with Jordan Harvey on KCOP13. Then, it's time to let our guest loose. Danny Musovski sits down with the guys to talk about getting love from the fans, what it takes to be a finisher, his relationship with Chicho Arango, and more.
The win streak continues for LAFC as they defeated the Loons of Minnesota United FC last night at Banc of California Stadium, 2-0. Goal contributions from Ryan Hollingshead and Jose Cifuentes keep LAFC on top of the West and the rest of the League. Jerry and Jonathan breaks the game down for you and gives an outlook to how the rest of the month could play out for the Black and Gold. Follow us on Social Media: @losangelessaga Jonathan Ortega: @wherejonat Jerry Reynoso: @JR4YNOSO
Jose Cifuentes is a mixed media abstract artist from Colombia. Jose moved his life and practice to Toronto, Canada, to find inspiration for his current chapter of creation. Known for manifesting varied visual representations of freedom, his art is a mixture of thick knife strokes with free-hand illustrations on canvas and recycled surfaces. He collects and portrays moods and faces that are in vivid, visceral paint strokes, loose lines, deliberate drips and passionate splatters. All this to the great end of creating the ideal marriage of fine and urban art.
LAFC 2.0 is on and poppin', and for the first time in our club's history, the Black and Gold took the pitch without Bob Bradley. The Steve Cherundolo Era begins in earnest, and it's against a familiar preseason foe, the New England Revolution.Forgoing much of the usual News and Notes of most Defenders episodes (to be covered in Episode 180!), Filly and the Scarf get right in to all the action in our first preseason match of Season 5! (Right after a little This Date In LAFC History, of course…)Many of the new faces would have to wait to make their LAFC debuts. Maxime Crepeau and Kellyn Acosta were both in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada waiting to face each ther in a World Cup Quaifier, while Ilie Sanchez and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi were unavailable as well. LAFC mainstay Eddie Segura is still working himself back to 100%, while Latif Blessing, Chiqui Palacios, and Jose Cifuentes all were held back as well. However, some of the “new new” was at the Banc, including Franco Escobar, our new #2 on the back line. Also starting was future backup keeper John McCarthy. It was a back and forth first half, with most of the excitement centered around a rather silly red card earned by Jesus Murillo in the 25'. Scoreless until just before the half time whistle, Adam Buksa put a rebound past McCarthy, and LAFC entered the half down 1-0. And, oh by the way, you can replace a player who gets a red, as long as it's preseason!The second half saw a ton of changes for LAFC. Trialists, fringe roster players, and Mamadou Fall all took the pitch in the second half. Tomas Romero took over in goal, Cal Jennings, Mahala, Danny Musovski, and Danny Trejo all played up top, but it was late super-sub Bruce El-Mesmari who created the big chance for LAFC. Taken down in the box in the 85', the PK was converted by Fall, and the match ended 1-1. All in all, it was an entertaining start to the new era at LAFC. 25 different players took the pitch, our new coach coached, and we loved every minute of it. And we are looking forward to covering EVERY single minute of it here on Defenders of the Banc! Join us for Season 5!
Defenders, the regular season is slowly coming to a close, but our beloved Black and Gold have not yet given up their fight for a playoff spot. LAFC headed out to Allianz Field in Minnesota to take on the Loons, and you can hear all about it here on Episode 174 of Defenders of the Banc!Despite being outplayed, and outplayed badly, through the first half-hour, LAFC were the first on the board thanks to our old friend, Tyler Miller. A curving free kick by Chicho, Chicho Arango (more on that below) found its way through the wall and, somehow, through the legs of our former keeper, to put LAFC up, 1-0. It stayed that way until the second half, when Minnesota was able to capitalize on a free kick of their own. Ozzie Alonso puts in the rebound for the equalizer, and LAFC leaves two of three points in Minnesota. It's a draw, 1-1, and, improbably, LAFC's playoff chances are still alive and kicking. The draw could be costly, however, as Kim Moon-Hwan left the game at halftime after receiving five stitches above his eye after colliding with the head referee. Yes, it's been that kind of season. LAFC will also be without the services of Jose Cifuentes for the next match due to yellow card accumulation. Couple that with the injuries to Atuesta and Ginella, and it's going to be a very thin midfield as the boys head back to the Banc to take on Seattle in just 72 hours. Yikes!Also on this episode, the boys (and Nina and Panda) head out to Premier League Mornings at the Coliseum. Spoiler alert: it was awesome! Panda wins airline miles, Scarf wins a jersey, and Filly meets his hall pass, Rebecca Lowe! We talk Dodgers, baby showers, and rum punch at 6:00 am. However, Defenders, the real treat lies at the end of this episode. Please... please stick around for the final 5 minutes or so to hear the world premiere of Filly's "Chicho Arango Song". We can promise you it's worth it, but we can't tell you when it'll be out of your head. Enjoy Episode 174!
LAFC touched down in Portland riding the high of a three-game win streak and a newly found goal scoring touch. Leave it to the fake grass, rain, and physical play of Portland to throw the 2021 season back into flux. The Black and Gold lose a frustrating one, 2-1, as they leave several chances unfinished at Providence Park. Hear all about it here on Episode 168!Playing against Portland is never comfortable, and their physical style tends to throw LAFC off their game a bit. This was certainly true throughout this one, and 4 yellow cards did little to deter them. After Brian Rodriguez missed a gorgeous opportunity in the 19', Portland capitalized just two minutes later. A corner and several headers find Dairon Asprilla, who heads home the opening salvo for Portland. LAFC would answer quickly, however, as a PK by Chicho, his 5th straight game with a goal, would level things before the half. During the opening moments of the second half, we almost... almost saw MLS's Goal of the Year by Jose Cifuentes. From about 40 yards out, Cifu caught Steve Clark off his line, but the ball banged loudly off the post and away. Just past the hour mark, somehow, somehow Cifu misses a wide open net off a pass from Chicho. Both he and the Defenders will be seeing this one in their sleep for some time. Oy. Portland would answer right after the LAFC miss, as sub George Fochive is able to put a rebound home with his head, and that would be it for LAFC despite 20 minutes remaining. Bob subbed in Latif, Chiqui, Moose, and eventually Bryce Duke, but it wasn't meant to be in Portland. LAFC falls below the playoff line again, and the fight continues. Also on this episode, it's just Scarf. That's right. Filly is in Orlando, and a couple last minute cancellations lead to this one being a solo Scarf project. Diego Rossi plays well, twice in one week, for Fenerbahce, while the Las Vegas Lights don't lose! It's very likely LAFC's roster is now frozen, but the cast and crew of Ted Lasso are hot, taking home multiple Emmys! Let's hope LAFC can be just as successful as they head to San Jose for a mid-week tilt against the Quakes!
Major League Soccer might have tried to keep Filly and The Scarf out of Austin by scheduling a Wednesday away match, but nothing could keep LAFC's own Moose, Danny Musovski, from rampaging through Q2 Stadium! LAFC comes out of Texas with three points, beating Austin FC, 2-1. For the first of several times in the match, the soccer gods smiled upon LAFC early, wiping off an Austin goal in the 4th minute to keep the match scoreless. The first half was a bit of a snoozer the rest of the way, and LAFC enters the locker room in a scoreless battle. The second half would be very different, as LAFC came out firing, mainly off the boots of Jose Cifuentes. It was just before the hour mark that LAFC captured lightning in a bottle, as Kim Moon-Hwan worked his magic in the box and fired a cross that glanced off the outstretched elbow of Diego Fagundez. Upon further review, a penalty was awarded, and Chicho Arango, much to the delight of both Filly and Barry Manilow fans around the world, slotted it home to give LAFC the lead. LAFC was carved up for an easy goal several minutes later, as Fagundez atoned for his previous mishap, but LAFC did not relent. In the 85', a beautiful pass by Jose Cifuentes sprung Danny Musovski, and the Moose knew exactly what to do with the opportunity. Moose slots it past Brad Stuver and LAFC holds on for the 2-1 win. Three points on the road, three wins in a row, and LAFC is rocketing up the Western Conference standings. As the episode kicks off, Filly and Scarf engage in a Barry Manilow vs. Simply Red duel for the ages. LAFC signs another keeper from the deep end of the pool, the boys swoon over the new Mets documentary, and absolutely no mentions of TGLA occur on this pod. We bemoan Don Garber's scheduling, we begin to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, and we continue to wait for another Las Vegas Lights victory. It's a fun pod for the boys, made even better by taking all three points on the road from FC Broccoli!
Los Angeles Football Club earned two points in their last two matches with two 2-2 draws against Western Conference foes. The fellas in black and gold missed a chance to climb the table and now are tied on points with Minnesota sitting in 5th in the Western Conference. The match with Vancouver had a slow start as LAFC played their 3rd game in 8 days. Their lack of energy in the first half was apparent and was punished. Vancouver took advantage of a poor clearance from Kim Moon-Hwan in the 25th minute, giving Deiber Caicedo an easy tap in. Shortly after, in the 38th minute, Whitecaps top goals scorer, Cristian Dajome doubles the score on a header from a set piece. The response before half time provided hope as Edward Atuesta picked out Carlos Vela to cut the lead in half before the break. With a much improved showing in the second half, LAFC was only able to find the equalizer in the 75th minute. Jose Cifuentes hits a volley from a Diego Palacios cross that demonstrates his continued growth this season as he sits tied with Diego Rossi and Carlos Vela with a team leading 5 goals. LAFC's next match against Minnesota United started with LAFC on the front foot. Carlos Vela was denied by former LAFC Goalkeeper Tyler Miller. The deadlock was broken in the 40th minute when Jose Cifuentes intercepted a pass in his half and played the through ball for the Carlos Vela breakaway goal. Emanuel Reynoso leveled the score at the 49th minute mark with a strike after creating some space away from Marco Farfan. Tristan Blackmon got his first goal of the campaign with a header off a corner from Edward Atuesta. Minnesota would play spoiler with a goal in the 95th minute from Hassanu Dotson which finished the game at 2-2. In this thirteenth episode of the 2021 season, writers-at-Large Alex Dwyer (from Yokohama, Japan) and Ryan Wallerson (from Copenhagen, Denmark), alongside in-house tactician Pierce Maher, breakdown LAFC's two draws with Vancouver and Minnesota and previews the big Wednesday night game vs Sporting Kansas City.
LAFC played well enough to win for a full 94 minutes and about 45 seconds. But in what has become a microcosm of the 2021 season, LAFC gave up a game-tying goal in the 5th minute of three minutes of stoppage time to lose two points at home and draw with visiting Minnesota, 2-2. Better late than never, it's Episode 158, and this one was hard to put into words. But don't worry… we did!After a mostly lackluster first half, a moment of brilliance by Jose Cifuentes and a typically magical run by Carlos Vela gives LAFC the leads over Tyler Miller-led Minnesota United, 1-0. LAFC would lead going into the half, but lose Murillo to hamstring tightness at the 45' mark. Just four minutes into the second half, however, the Loons would equalize through Emmanuel Reynoso.LAFC came into the match as the only team who had yet to score via a header in 2021. Tristan Blackmon would erase that tie, and the header drought, off a corner from Eduard Atuesta in the 77', and LAFC was supposedly home. Much like Jurassic Park, Minnesota had Dotson, and after a beautiful pass from Robin Lod, Dotson would slot one home at the tail end of the 5th minute of stoppage time. Just like that, LAFC drop two points and settle for an improbable home draw, 2-2. Also on this episode, we bid farewell and good luck to Mark-Anthony Kaye and Corey Baird. Two big moves for LAFC will hopefully lead to the next big thing at the club. We talk Olympic soccer, Gold Cup, New York Mets, and even a little MLR. We have a lot of fun on this one. We've got a tough test coming up from Sporting, and you better believe Filly and Scarf will be there to talk about it all, in addition to all the off-the-pitch fun that LAFC brings us week in and week out. And who knows, maybe LAFC will announce the Arongo signing by then! We'll talk all about it next episode on 159.
For the third time in a week-and-a-half, the boys in Black and Gold take the pitch, this time against usual punching bags, the Vancouver Whitecaps. Despite an awful start, LAFC salvages a point, and you can hear all about it here on Episode 156 of Defenders of the Banc!LAFC came out sluggish and sloppy, and it showed almost immediately. Forced to defend cross after cross in the first 25 minutes, Vancouver finally broke through on a Caicedo goal after some confusion between Moon-Hwan and Romero. Thirteen minutes later, the diminutive Dajome somehow rises above the rest to head one in off a free kick, and LAFC is down a pair. LAFC would respond, however, with Captain Carlos getting on the end of a beautiful through-ball from Eduard Atuesta to notch a goal in three straight contests. LAFC would end the half down one, but despite our play through the first 45', we were still alive and kicking. Bob would make wholesale changes to start the second half, bringing on Chiqui, Corey Baird, Pancho, and Eddie Segura while changing our shape to Bob's favorite formation, a 4-3-3. It paid dividends immediately, as LAFC controlled possession and started to both create chances on offense and shore up gaps on defense. A wonderstrike by Jose Cifuentes in the 75' would level the match at 2. For the second time in the match, the good people over at PRO help out LAFC, waving off a goal in the 83' by Dajome to preserve the draw. It wasn't the result we had hoped for, but a point is better than a loss, even at home. It should be noted that this is only the third time in club history we have gone down 2+ goals to come back to preserve at least a point. Also on this episode, we meet Coach Beard, Dani Rojas, and Thierry Zoreaux! OMG! We get to play our favorite game from seasons past, Name That Perez, but not for a good reason at all. Beita is back, Christian Ramirez scores in Scotland, and Randy's Donuts gets some love on This Day In LAFC History. Congrats to LAFC's Pre-Game Show on their Emmy win!We play yet again in 4 days, welcoming back Tyler Miller and the Minnesota United on Wednesday. Until then, enjoy Episode 156, and good luck to the US Women in Tokyo!
LAFC is finally back at the Cathedral of the Black and Gold, 24 days since our last match at home, ready to take on Real Salt Lake for the second time in 14 days. It would be yet another win for us over Salt Lake, but this one felt much more like the LAFC of old, and you can hear all about it here on Episode 155 of Defenders of the Banc!LAFC celebrated Pride Night in wonderful fashion, with LAFC coming out on the front foot in a hurry. 3 saves and a near miss in the first 5 minutes would be a harbinger of things to come, as a beautiful give and go from Diego Rossi to Jose Cifuentes and back to Rossi for the opener in the 10th minute! LAFC could have been up by at least two or three, but we will take the early lead, 1-0, every single time. In typical LAFC fashion, however, they give up the equalizer not long after. RSL beats the Black and Gold on the counter, with perfect passing (and a little luck) from Damir Kreilach to Everton Luiz to Aaron Herrera, and just like that, we are level. Scarf almost got the own goal that he predicted, Carlos banged one off the post, and Cifu somehow misses a wide open net after Kim Moon-Hwan's moment of sheer brilliance, and LAFC enters the half tied at one. David Ochoa was special, but LAFC needed to find the winner. In the second half, RSL would get their first, and only, real opportunity of the half in the opening minute. It came from Kreilach, of course, but Romero, with a little help from Farfan and Murillo, was up for the task. Several near misses and another nice save from Ochoa brings us to the 58th minute, where the birthday boy, Raheem Edwards earns LAFC a present of their own, a PK off a handball from a blistering shot inside the box. However, it still wasn't meant to be (yet!), as Ochoa dove to his left to stop a relatively innocuous attempt by Carlos Vela. Still level. Several subs for both sides, including the return of Chiqui Palacios in the 75th minute, take us to the 78th minute. It's world-class finding world-class, as Kim Moon-Hwan finds Carlos Vela with an absolute pinpoint cross from at least 30 yards away. Despite Ochoa cutting off seemingly every angle, the captain shoots a laser beam over the top of Ochoa's head and into the back of the net! Just like that, LAFC is in line for 3 points and their first three-match win streak since 2019. LAFC, despite David Ochoa's best efforts, wins 2-1 in a match that could have just as easily been 6-1 or 7-1. It was a complete effort for LAFC. Also on this episode, we chat Gold Cup results for both the US and El Tri as we welcome back Brian Rodriguez into the 18. D9U releases a shoe, Tigers collab on a beer, Filly tees up Scarf perfectly as he works the GLA into the pod not once but twice (!), Dio is still without a club, and Tony Leone nets his first professional goal. It's Scarf who rants on this episode after Filly runs down the upcoming schedule. Truly, everything is possible here on Defenders of the Banc! You'll be hearing a lot of us over the course of the next few weeks, with three more matches in 10 days. And it will also be right here on Defenders of the Banc where you can hear recaps, breakdowns, and banter the night after every episode of Season 2 of Ted Lasso, starting July 23 on Apple TV! Lots of fun and lots more to come, but until then, enjoy Episode 155!
In the tenth match of the 2021 season, Los Angeles Football Club dropped 3 points on the road to Western Conference contender Sporting Kansas City in a 2-1 loss. Kim Moon-Hwan opened the scoresheet with his first goal in MLS for the Black and Gold. In the 24th minute, Kim beat two players after receiving a pass from Jose Cifuentes, slotting the ball inside the front post. LAFC did not dominate possession as they traditionally do. It was partially due to going down a man in the 58th minute off of a Tristan Blackmon foul resulting in a sending off. As the rain began to pour in Austin, Blackmon gave a poor pass intended for Diego Rossi that was cut out by SKC young star, Gianluca Busio. The transition allowed Busio to find Daniel Salloi wide with space. To avoid the goal scoring opportunity, Blackmon stuck his arm out bringing Salloi to the ground. The free kick only resulted in Busio hitting the wood work which only was a sign of what was to come. SKC quickly evened the score with a goal from Mexican international Alan Pulido, in the 61st minute, after a poor clearance from Marco Farfan. LAFC showed defensive grit through the remaining 30 minutes, and pushed the ball forward looking for the winning goal. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to take a point. In the 87th minute, the Hungarian, Daniel Salloi, made his final mark on the match with the winning goal off an Eduard Atuesta turnover. In this seventh episode of the 2021 season, writers-at-Large Alex Dwyer and Ryan Wallerson, alongside in-house tactician Pierce Maher, review the last three games against Kansas City, Salt Lake and Austin. LAFC is now on a two game road winning streak which sees LAFC climb the western conference table to 5th.
It's Episode 154, and it's our maiden voyage into Austin, Texas, and to the house that Al Raitt built, Q2 Arena. LAFC continues their winning ways on the road, 2-0, behind a standout performance from Jose Cifuentes, a goal from Diego Rossi, and another clean sheet for Tomas Romero. Back-to-back road wins, and just like that, the Black and Gold ship seems to have been righted for the time being. An early yellow for Austin seemed to predict tidings of doom, and in the 40th minute, doom arrived for FC Broccoli. After Stuver makes a save on Kim Moon-Hwan, the rebound finds the foot of Cifu, who deposits it, as Filly would say, in the back of the polyurethane. Though Austin controlled possession for large portions of the first half, it's LAFC with the 1-0 lead at the half. Because of a few video issues, we missed the first 13 minutes of the second half, but luckily, we still lead when the picture returns! A huge shout out to Jen over at Party Beer for working so hard to get the picture working. The teams would trade jabs back and forth throughout the remainder of the half, and like many Kenley Jansen saves, it never felt comfortable, but it kept going our way. Right before the 90', last year's two-time Golden Boot winner, Diego Rossi, was given plenty of space on a 1v1 run vs. Brad Stuver, and that was the ball game. The Vela-to-Rossi connection salts it away, and LAFC gets on the plane with a 2-0 win in their pocket. Also on the episode, we talk about the Scarf vs. Panda Bowl, which the rest of the world apparently calls the Euro 2020 Final. It's Italy vs. England, and it's going to be a blast. We also talk Copa America and look forward to Brazil vs. Argentina. Closing out the episode, it's Scarf who rants, Filly who goes over the upcoming schedule, and, according to Bob Bradley, Bruce El-Mesmari is already Black and Gold! We've got 10 days until 155, so until we welcome RSL to the Banc, enjoy Episode 154!
LAFC press call with Bob Bradley, Tomas Romero, and Jose Cifuentes.
LAFC travels to the friendly confines of Sandy, Utah to take on Real Salt Lake, and you can hear all about it here on Episode 153 of Defenders of the Banc! It's not just any episode, however. We've brought along a good friend, Vince LaRosa of 110 Football, to talk all about the victory over RSL, the Euros, and anything else we came up with here on 153! First, the most important news, LAFC won on the road! Though we've been nothing short of a dumpster fire on the road lately, we do love playing in Sandy, and it showed. It was an awfully boring first half, save for a brilliant free kick from Captain Carlos off the crossbar. Was he merely practicing for the Skills Challenge? Mark-Anthony Kaye came off at just about the hour mark, in what will be his swan song before heading off to Team Canada for the Gold Cup, and on came Jose Cifuentes. After a literal dash of brilliance from Kim Moon-Hwan, a strike from Cifu puts the Black and Gold up 1-0. Yes, starting keeper Tomas Romero made some amazing saves on the night, igniting a keeper controversy in the process. However, it was Eddie Segura who would make the save of the match, and maybe our young season. An El-Munir-esque back line save would preserve the margin, the victory, and the very-much-needed three points. LAFC is back above the playoff line, though not comfortably; yet all seems possible once again for our club. Also on the episode, did we mention we've got Vince? We talk Euros, his Twitter trolls, his thoughts on everything from Mark-Anthony Kaye to possession to how stats can, or cannot, define a game. We really did love sitting down with Vince, both on Episode 153 and with 110 Football on their pre- and post-match shows for this tilt at Rio Tinto. It's almost time for Austin, but until then, enjoy Episode 153!
LAFC press call with Bob Bradley, Bryce Duke, and Jose Cifuentes.
LAFC press call with Bob Bradley, Tristan Blackmon, and Jose Cifuentes.
LAFC press call with Bob Bradley, Jose Cifuentes, and Pablo Sisniega.