Professional Sports Leagues: MLS

Professional Sports Leagues: MLS — page 5 — In many ways the TINSELTOWN game was emblematic MEETS SOCCERTOWN of the history of MLS It had a superstar European One of the Galaxy's first players was better known in his other player one who was past career Andrew Shue who the age at which big name starred on the popular 1990s TV show Melrose Place knew European clubs would give some of the people who were him a major role In Carlos starting the league in 1996 Shue had played college soccer Vela LAFC's biggest star at Dartmouth and been named it had a Latin American to an All Ivy League team before playing professionally player who had played in in Zimbabwe He managed to get a contract to play for the Europe and then moved Galaxy in addition to being a TV to the United States to star He ended up playing five dominate It was a local times for Los Angeles collecting one assist rivalry with a pithy name a game meaningful to its fans despite the teams having no history with each other If it had been a 0-0 draw the hype would have been wasted Perhaps it was good that Zlatan had arrived because a brash showman like Zlatan would never let such hype go unfulfilled TIME FOR KICKOFF It was Vela not Zlatan who got the fireworks started In just the fifth minute of the match Vela picked up a Galaxy turnover on the edge of the opposition penalty 8

Professional Sports Leagues: MLS — page 6 — Vela center made the first move in the 2018 edition of El Tráfico area He took one touch then blasted a curling drive into the far top corner of the net a gorgeous goal to get the rivalry going Twenty minutes later Vela was on the score sheet again This time he gathered a pass on the penalty spot and danced around the onrushing goalkeeper He then doubled back slowly almost as if he were waiting for as many defenders to scramble back as he could By the time he softly chipped the ball six Galaxy players were nearby none of whom could do anything but watch as the ball floated 9

Professional Sports Leagues: MLS — page 7 — over their heads bounced off the crossbar and landed gently behind the goal line It was now 2-0 to LAFC and the away fans celebrated as if they'd won a trophy Three minutes into the second half LAFC scored what must have felt like the clinching goal Marcos Ureña's attempted cross for Vela deflected off a Galaxy A STAR STUDDED defender and into the net OWNERS SUITE Even a brand new team would surely be able to ride Most sports teams have only one owner but in 2019 Los a 3-0 lead to a rivalry win Angeles FC listed 31 owners on their team website The roster included actor Will Ferrell USA ZLATAN women's soccer star Mia Hamm ENTERS THE Garciaparra and her husband Nomar Garciaparra who played FRAY 14 years in Major League Baseball and basketball Hall of But of course there was Famer Earvin Magic Johnson Zlatan who started the game on the bench because he'd just arrived two days prior to the match The Galaxy's Sebastian Lletget was the first to cut into the deficit splitting the LAFC defense and scoring in the 61st minute Ten minutes later Ibrahimović made his debut and he immediately made an impact An LAFC defender ever aware of Zlatan's position allowed the Galaxy's Emmanuel Boateng to dart in behind him and send in a crossing pass Chris Pontius was on the 10

Professional Sports Leagues: MLS — page 8 — other end powering a header into the net to make the score 3-2 Three minutes later MLS got its first look at the real Zlatan A looping ball bounced over an LAFC defender's head in midfield where Zlatan with a full head of steam pounced Forty yards from the goal with the ball descending from the high bounce he chose to go for a low percentage long range blast Other players might have timed the volley wrong and sent the ball into the crowd skewing wide of the net or worse sent it weakly dribbling to the goalkeeper But Zlatan's drive arced neatly over the goalkeeper and slammed into the back of the net Now it was a tied game and the fans were delirious Words nearly failed Fox Sports play by play announcer John Strong who could only yell Come on COME ON in disbelief at the long distance strike The hype was fulfilled MLS had come a long way in 23 years from the humble league seemingly formed overnight to a raucous game that featured Zlatan Ibrahimović scoring what would later be named Goal of the Year Had the game ended 3-3 it still would have been a perfect description of what MLS is all about and it would still be remembered for Zlatan's goal But the great man himself had one more trick up his sleeve In stoppage time he beat two defenders and the goalkeeper to a floating 11

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