Something’s happening in Los Angeles. After losing to FC Dallas on May 30, the LA Galaxy are now unbeaten in their last seven MLS matches, including yesterday’s 3-1 win over Philadelphia at Talen Energy Stadium. A lot of that play is down to the goodness of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who now has nine goals and an assist in his last six league starts.
With 19,013 on hand in Chester, the Union’s highest attendance of the season had much to do with the 36-year-old coming to town. After C.J. Sapong gave Philly a first half lead, the Galaxy responded through Ola Kamara in the 48th minute. The assist was provided by Ibrahimovic, and it’s definitely worth a watch.
@jona2santos @Ibra_official @OlaKamara pic.twitter.com/svkCs2EzAd
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) July 22, 2018
Not done there, Zlatan hit the match-winner in the 63rd minute with the cleanest of strikes in a torrential downpour. That’s his 12th goal in 15 matches for Los Angeles.
It had to be him. @Ibra_official makes no mistake. #PHIvLA pic.twitter.com/W8sM6wKKPa
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) July 22, 2018
Caught it clean. #PHIvLA pic.twitter.com/zCnJTZcKpO
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 22, 2018
What’s more, the Galaxy are definitely relevant again. The victory takes the club into fourth in the Western Conference — we might see Zlatan in the playoffs after all.
“It was bad conditions,” Ibrahimovic said after the match. “I feel sorry for the fans . . . That’s part of the game — the weather we cannot control. But we were ready for it. Even if yesterday it was hot and today was windy and raining. Good players can handle any condition. … Physically, [I’m] where I want to be.”
— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) July 22, 2018
Next up for the Galaxy is El Tráfico — the derby match against LAFC — on Thursday, June 26. You might remember this season’s earlier edition of that matchup…