Riqui Puig gave an exhibition this Tuesday for the LA Galaxy to defeat Los Angeles FC (LAFC) 2-1 in a memorable match for the MLS, which with 82,110 spectators at the iconic Rose Bowl broke the record for attendance at a match in the history of this league
With a great setting in the stands of this stadium where the 1994 World Cup final was played, Puig celebrated the 4th of July holiday in the US with an enormous performance in this exciting Los Angeles derby that he capped off by scoring the goal of the victory. “Every player wants to be in these matches. I don’t play for money, but for these experiences (…) I’ve had a lot of fun as a little boy and I think I’ve given a great level,” stressed Puig, who was the most highlight of the game with a goal and an assist.
The Catalan celebrated his goal by pointing to his number several times, a gesture very similar to the one he made in May after another great goal against LAFC -this time taking off his shirt and showing it to the stands- and which reminded the famous image of Leo Messi in 2017 celebrating an epic 2-3 win for Barcelona against Madrid. “I was dying to do the same thing, but I had a yellow card and I couldn’t miss the next game,” Puig said when asked why he didn’t repeat the gesture.
Puig was tonight the conductor of this Galaxy that is in great need of joy, since he came to this game as the penultimate in the West, with four draws in a row and with a season full of disappointments after the long-term injuries of the Mexican Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández and the Uruguayan Martín Cáceres.
Tyler Boyd signed the first goal for the Galaxy and the Spanish Ilie Sánchez got the target for LAFC. Current MLS champion and led by the Mexican Carlos Vela, LAFC, who missed numerous chances to draw in the final minutes of the duel, now has three consecutive defeats.
In addition to scoring his fourth goal with the Galaxy jersey, Riqui Puig was the most outstanding footballer, becoming a real headache for the Los Angeles FC midfield and defense. “I like to play with pressure and derbies. Today it has been shown. (…) The atmosphere was brutal, we are the city’s team and I am very happy to belong to the Galaxy,” said the midfielder.
Along these lines, he added that, although LAFC is third in the standings and Galaxy remains in thirteenth position, they have shown “to be better” than their rival when they have faced each other and he was confident “overcoming the bad streak and entering the playoffs”. .
This special edition of ‘Traffic’ (the colloquial name of the MLS Los Angeles derby) should have been played on the first day of the MLS, but it was postponed until July 4 due to the rains that fell in February in the south Of California.
The mark of 82,110 fans surpassed the previous MLS game attendance record that until today had the 2022 game between Charlotte and the Galaxy with 74,749 spectators.
