El Tráfico: Why LA Galaxy vs LA FC is one of the most exciting new rivalries in football (VIDEO)
LA Galaxy and LA FC face off in the MLS Cup Playoffs on Thursday night looking to claim bragging rights in US football's biggest rivalry. Watch every goal in the short history of their short, but spectacular, rivalry here.
The two clubs will face off on Thursday night in the conference semi-finals of the MLS Playoffs with the city's bragging rights up for grabs, as well as a place in the conference final.
The two teams have produced some of the most electrifying, back-and-forth matchups over last couple of years, with the match being dubbed "El Tráfico", as a nod to La Liga's big "El Clasico" rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona, but with a little self-deprecating twist with a reference to LA's notorious traffic problem.
But while the cars in the city may struggle to make progress on the roads, the goals have flowed much more freely on the pitch when the two sides have met.
The matches between the clubs to date have produced goals galore, with 24 goals scored across the five games played so far.
A Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired Galaxy claimed victory in two of those five meetings, winning 4-3 and 3-2 in dramatic matchups in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The other three matches were each played to score draws, 2-2, 1-1 and, most recently, 3-3. Despite being competitive in every game, FC are still to register their first win over their cross-town rivals.
The rivalry has also become something of a battle between the two sides' star strikers, with FC's Mexican hitman Carlos Vela netting seven times over the course of the five derby matches between the two sides.
That tally is eclipsed, however, by Galaxy hero Ibrahimovic, with the big Swede netting an incredible eight of his side's 12 goals scored against FC in the team's history.
The dueling Los Angeles franchises will face off at the Banc of California Stadium in the MLS Cup Playoffs on Thursday night knowing victory will propel the winner through to the conference final. Will FC finally claim their first victory over Galaxy, or will Zlatan and co. produce the goods when it matters and claim bragging rights over their rivals for another year?
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