LAFC 6 – VANCOUVER 0
MLS Regular Season – Game #13
Sept 23, 2020
LAFC returned to Banc of California Stadium - and to making history - on Wednesday night. The Black & Gold wasted no time establishing several new MLS and Club records in a 6-0 rout of Vancouver, with Dejan Jakovic scoring the fastest goal in Club history on a corner kick just 1:36 into the match.
The first 15 minutes would feature four more LAFC goals, and when the first half mercifully ended for the Whitecaps, LAFC had established a new MLS record for the most goals scored in a first half (5), and most goals scored from kickoff. Bradley Wright-Phillips added two historic goals to his career tally, recording the 114th and 115th strikes of his career to move him into 6th place all-time in league history, passing LAFC assistant coach Ante Razov on the way.
“We started very quickly,” Bradley said. “We immediately attacked down the left side. Scored some goals off set pieces. A lot of positives. Important for us to have a shutout tonight. Something that we haven't had for a while, and so hopefully it's a game that we can build on. But we felt good. There was a lot of moments where the football was sharp, created good chances, and we feel good about that, and now we just keep going.”
Diego Rossi added to his league-leading 11 goals in the 33rd minute, and the Black & Gold benefited from two Vancouver own goals to send the visitors back to their temporary home in Portland with a difficult loss.
BWP INTO SIXTH
Bradley Wright-Phillips entered 2020 with LAFC looking forward to proving his critics wrong. The veteran striker and former MLS Golden Boot winner left the Red Bulls after a disappointing and injury-filled 2019 season with one thing on his mind – scoring goals again.
As MLS restarted in the MLS Is Back Tournament in Orlando, Wright-Phillips quickly began to show the rest of the league just how much was left in his 35-year old legs.
“He’s a real goal scorer,” Bradley said. “He just has a way of finding space in the box to finish.”
As he continued to score goals, he continued to move up the MLS goal-scoring ranks, and against Vancouver his goal on a brilliant leaping kick put him into a tie with LAFC assistant coach Ante Razov with 115 career goals. Just a few minutes later, Wright-Phillips scored again to push him into 6th place by himself.
“I watched some video of Ante the other day and I’m just glad to be in the same conversation as these guys, he was a great striker,” Wright Phillips said. “Honestly, if I am being real – he has given me an extra bit of life working with him.”
Bradley has also seen the positives of having two top-notch goal scorers working together.
“Ante was a player that if he got any kind of chance on his left foot, he was deadly,” said Bradley who coached Razov in Chicago and with Chivas USA. “Not exactly the same kind of players, but both great strikers, and I know Ante has really enjoyed working with Brad, and we're excited for him, so that's a great moment.”
For Wright-Phillips, the goals are just another reminder of the fun he is having in Los Angeles as he is focused on continuing his MLS career – not having it wind down.
“You know where I was at the end of last season,” Wright Phillips said. “And these guys have given me a lot of life and a hunger to score more goals, so I credit Ante a lot for that. I love it – it is the best decision I’ve made – I’m grateful to everyone involved. Training every day is fun. Here, they don’t need Bradley Wright-Phillips from New York Red Bulls, they need a new one with different ideas and getting more involved in the game, I feel like a kid again.”
RECORD-SETTING NIGHT
It was a night of records for LAFC, with the Club breaking open the game early and exploding for five first-half goals.
“I thought it was a very good performance from our team collectively,” LAFC defender Dejan Jakovic said. “We started off well, and didn’t really take our foot off the pedal.”
LAFC and MLS Records Set on Sep. 23 vs. Vancouver:
- Largest margin of victory in LAFC history
- Tied for most goals scored in a game in LAFC history
- Dejan Jakovic scored the fastest goal in LAFC history, scoring at 1:36. The previous record was in the 4th minute – by Carlos Vela on April 28, 2019 vs. Seattle and by Laurent Ciman on June 23, 2018 vs. Columbus
- The fastest five goals scored from kickoff in MLS history. LAFC scored five goals in 32:13, breaking the record of 32:43 set by Seattle on September 10 vs. San Jose.
- The fastest four goals scored from kickoff in MLS history. LAFC scored four goals in 13:11
- The first team to score three goals in the first 12 minutes of a MLS game since the Red Bulls did it vs. New England on July 11, 2015. Bradley Wright-Phillips scored two of the three goals in both matches.
JAKOVIC GETS IT GOING EARLY
Dejan Jakovic is a veteran MLS defender. A well-traveled and rugged center back, Jakovic is known for his speed and tackling ability – but not known as much for his finishing ability.
But when the defender leaped into the air and slammed home a header just 1:36 into the match on Wednesday vs. Vancouver, Jakovic powered himself into the LAFC record books, scoring the fastest goal in LAFC history, besting the previous record holders by nearly two minutes.
“It obviously feels great to score a goal,” Jakovic said. “I thought Brian played in a great ball and I kind of attacked it. I saw it as a good ball and I was able to get my head on it.”
Carlos Vela scored in the 4th minute on April 28, 2019 vs. Seattle and Laurent Ciman scored in the 4th minute on June 23, 2018 vs. Columbus.
It was also the second goal of Jakovic’s MLS career, and one that had been a long time coming. Jakovic waited over eight years for the opportunity to score again, as he scored his first MLS goal on May 26, 2012 for D.C. United – a span of 3,043 days.
“I don't score many, so I'm happy to score,” Jakovic said. “It was certainly a great feeling, but I'm just happy the way we continued to play after that.”
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