Los Angeles Football Club wins 2022 Major League Soccer Cup in thrilling penalty shootout

CNN
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The Los Angeles Football Club won the 2022 Major League Soccer Cup for the first time in club history, downing the Philadelphia Union 3-0 in a penalty shootout following a 3-3 draw on Saturday at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.

LAFC got the scoring started on a Kellyn Acosta goal in the 28th minute on a free-kick from the left corner. With a 1-0 lead to start the second half, Dániel Gazdag of the Union scored the equalizer in the 59th minute.

The game remained knotted up until the 83rd minute when Jesús Murillo’s goal gave Los Angeles the lead again. However, that lead wouldn’t last too long. Union’s Jack Elliott scored on a header to tie the game up again and force extra time.

In the 110th minute, LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau was shown a yellow card after a nasty foul on Philadelphia’s Cory Burke. Both players were hurt on the foul and the card was changed to a red as Crépeau was carted off the field with the injury. Burke stayed in the game.

LAFC backup goalkeeper John McCarthy came in to finish the match. Union’s Elliott played hero again in stoppage time, scoring to give them the lead with over five minutes left.

Just as the Union thought they had the championship secured, LAFC’s Gareth Bale scored the equalizer late in stoppage time to force a penalty shootout.

McCarthy came up as a true hero for Los Angeles, stopping all shots in the shootout while LAFC scored on three attempts, including Ilie Sánchez’s championship-securing goal.

The home crowd went crazy, as players and coaches ran onto the field to celebrate the victory.

McCarthy was named the 2022 MLS Cup Most Valuable Player after the match.